PEGASUS Book 11  Way Beyond and a new beginning
by Expatkiwi
Summary: Cylon sabotage forces Garris Cain to make an unprogrammed FTL-jump in order to escape certain anhilation.  They emerge in an unknown part of space where they encounter fellow humans with conflicts of their own...
1. Chapter 1

**PEGASUS Book 11: Way Beyond and a New Beginning**

**CHAPTER ONE.**

**BATTLERSTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

The PEGASUS shook as another Cylon missile penetrated the anti-missile barrage.

"Damage Control, report!" Colonel Tolen barked as he grabbed the DRADIS console in order to stop being flung to the deck.

"Hull breach on alpha deck - quad 2", Major Sanders replied after checking his console display, "The airtight hatches are still in place in that area, but I don't know how long we can maintain hull integrity if we get another direct hit in that location".

"If we don't get the FTL drive activated within the next couple of minutes, Comms", Cain said, "Then there won't be anything more to worry about as there won't be anyone alive on board to be able _to_ worry!"

"CAG reports that another attack phalanx of raiders are homing in on our position", Lieutenant Annan reported from the Core Command console, "He reports that if they maintain their engagement they will very soon be overwhelmed".

Cain glanced at Tolen, who got the unspoken message. He went over to Annan's position.

"Issue the general recall to CAG", Tolen ordered, "When all of the strike wing have all landed, we'll head out at flank sub-light speed".

Annan nodded, and clicked on her comm.

"Bojay, this is Core Command", Annan spoke into her mike, "Actual orders full recall. Acknowledge".

**SILVER SPAR GROUP LEADER**

Out in his viper, Syke keyed his mike.

"This is Bojay", he replied, "I acknowledge". Keying his mike to the inter-wing uni-com, he spoke again.

"Okay folks, let's head back to Home Plate. Disengage and return for combat landing".

At his command, the vipers that had been attacking the initial Cylon raider attack formations disengaged and headed back to the battlestar at full throttle. The Cylon raiders started to give chase, but the suppressing fire from the PEGASUS' anti-aircraft batteries forced them to break off. Still, when the additional phalanx arrived to reinforce them, then the batteries would be overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

Back on the PEGASUS, Tolen noted the readouts indicating the Silver Spar Wing vipers heading back to base, then he went over to the Helm console.

"As soon as the last viper is back, give me all you got", Tolen ordered the helmsman, "We've got to get as much distance as possible between us and those tin-heads!"

"What course, XO?" Helm inquired.

"Any frakking direction away from that attack phalanx!", Tolen screamed. Pale faced, the helmsman nodded.

While Tolen was talking with Helm. Cain was on the interphone to Major Thyssen, the Chief Engineer.

"How goes the FTL, Wyatt?" Cain inquired.

"We're working as fast as we can, Commander", Thyssen replied, "but whoever sabotaged the navi-comp links to the FTL did too good a job. We can't finish getting the backup installed for at least another thirty minutes".

"We can't remain here for that time, Major", Cain replied, "So secure from your work and crank up the sub-light drive to flank speed. We'll try and outrun them".

"Understood, Commander", Thyssen acknowledged, "but we haven't had time to check for any other sabotage. They could also have been tampered with".

"We don't have the luxury of choice", Cain responded, "so move it!"

Clicking off the interphone, Thyssen gestured to his engineers to leave the FTL control console (where the navi-comp linkages to the FTL itself were housed), and directed them to the control console for the sub-light propulsion systems.

Normally, when the FTL was in need for repair, the battlestar would need to have its other propulsion systems 'idling', given the arrangement of the propulsion systems on the GALACTICA-class battlestars. But with the tactical situation that the PEGASUS suddenly found herself in when she emerged from the last FTL-jump - at a different location that originally programmed – to what was supposed to have been a quiet jump to the outskirts of the Kobol Star System, turned out instead to be right in the midst of a Cylon Task Force of three Base Stars and over two hundred Cylon raiders already deployed! The fact that the navi-comp linkages had then suddenly blown up from a small hidden thermite charge confirmed that the mis-programming was a deliberate act of sabotage.

Thankfully, Cain had - habitually - had his crew at Condition One alert when the jump was made, so the suppressing fire and the scrambling of the four strike squadrons of Silver Spar Wing was done quickly, but with the ability to activate the FTL through the navi-comp now gone, a programmed FTL-jump was now out of the question.

"Sheba reports all surviving vipers down", Annan reported after a couple of minutes from Core Command.

Captain Tricia 'Sheba' Cain - as the Deputy CAG of Silver Spar - was the tail-end viper. As soon as her viper thumped down on the port landing bay deck, Annan nodded to Sanders.

"Retract the landing bays, Helm", Sanders ordered, "Flank Speed!".

The battlestar started to accelerate, heading away from the three base stars - which were now starting to give chase. Their missile batteries were still firing salvoes after them.

Cain winced as the PEGASUS shuddered again from the impact of another missile hit. Sanders quickly filled him in on the damage inflicted from it, then returned to his station.

"When I find the frakking Cylon spy that sabotaged our FTL", Tolen grumbled, "I'm going to have the distinct pleasure of stringing it up in a launch tube in front of a viper, then firing the viper's cannon at its synthetic guts!"

"Let's just hope we live long enough for you to do that, Geoff", Cain replied.

Just then, another shudder ripped through the PEGASUS. Sanders looked ashen as he scanned his console.

"That was no missile hit", Sanders blurted out. Just then, the interphone from Engineering buzzed.

"What is it, Wyatt?", Cain demanded into the interphone.

"The sub-light drive controls have been sabotaged, Commander", Thyssen replied, "Both interfaces from the primary and secondary energizers to the propulsion units have been severed. The charges must have activated when we hit flank speed".

With the sub-light propulsion out, the battlestar was now no longer accelerating, and the DRADIS showed that the base stars - with their raiders - were closing in again.

"Our sub-light is out, our FTL navi-comp is out, and there are too many raiders for our strike wing to deal with", Tolen reported unnecessarily." Those frakking tin-heads have got us where they want us.

Just then, a new voice came over the bridge unicom: "PEGASUS, power down your weapons systems and prepare to be boarded, or else we will destroy you".

The CIC went silent as the crewmen turned to Cain.

"That will be the day!", Cain ground out. He turned to Sanders and Annan.

'Lieutenant", Cain ordered, "Order the marines to prepare to repel boarders". As Annan turned back to her console to comply, Cain turned to Sanders.

"Comms", Cain ordered, "Get ready to fire up the FTL".

"But Commander", Sanders replied, "with the navi-comp fried, we can't determine where we would end up jumping to. We could end up in the middle of a star or a supernova..."

"If we remain here, we'll be destroyed!", Cain stated, cutting Sanders off, "and since you know what Cylons do with prisoners, better we take our chances with a random FTL".

Sanders nodded, then turned his interphone on to Engineering in order to communicate with Thyssen.

"He wants to do what?" Thyssen screamed, "Not only is the navi-comp down, but also the power regulators. The only power I can put through to the FTL is raw power from the energizer. A random jump with that much unregulated power will jump us at least a half-galaxy away! We could end up in intergalactic space, or in the other direction like the galactic center. And even if we came up in a safe place, there's a good chance that the FTL itself will be well and truly fried and we'll be stuck powerless and propulsion-less in Gods-knows-where!"

"Better that than being stuck here at the mercy of the tin-heads", Sanders responded, "Actual is right: we have got to risk it!"

Nodding, Thyssen hung up the interphone, then walked over to the FTL. Quickly grabbing some cabling, he connected one end up to the FTL - splicing in some bypass connections, then as he took up the other end, a thought struck him. He turned to one of his colleagues.

"Get another power lead and run it to the secondary energizer", Thyssen ordered. As the secondary energizer put out a peak rate of about a third that of the primary, then not only would the jump range be somewhat shorter, but the lower max power throughput would mean that the FTL itself would not be as-highly overloaded. It might even survive, but even that amount of power was taking an awful chance.

Back up in CIC, Cain ordered the suppressing anti-missile batteries to be shut down. As the weapons officer complied, Tolen turned to Cain, not quite believing what he heard.

"By doing this, they will think we are surrendering, and that will mean they will not be firing any more missiles at us", Cain explained. As he finished his explanation, Anna reported that the remaining incoming Cylon missiles had self-destructed. It looked like the Cylons believed it too…

**COMMAND CYLON BASE STAR **

On the control deck of the lead Base Star, the humanoid Cylon is command noticed that the PEGASUS had ceased firing.

"Looks like Cain has decided to succumb to the inevitable", Number Six remarked to her deputy, "Our agent did his work well".

"With his propulsion out and his fighters being totally outnumbered, what choice did he have?", Number Two asked rhetorically with a broadening smile.

"Order our raiders to form a covering formation completely around the battlestar", Number Six ordered a Centurion, "Once they are in place, we will dock and board the PEGASUS".

"What if Cain tries to self-destruct?" Number Two asked as the Centurion left the control deck, "he night have decided that if his ship is doomed, to take us all out in a last blast of defiance".

"Those circuits have also been disabled", Number Six answered, "So that option will not be available to him. Once we get our boarding party on board the PEGASUS, they will overwhelm any resistance from their marines, then we will kill every human there. And once that is done we will make use of the battlestar for our own purpose".

Six's idea was to use the PEGASUS as a Trojan horse and thus bait out any human survivors…

Nodding in satisfaction, Number Two watched as the Cylon raider squadrons started to change their formations to cover the PEGASUS from all angles. If Cain tried to open fire again, then the raiders would blast the battlestar into oblivion…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

On board the PEGASUS, Sanders monitored the disposition of the approaching Cylon raiders on the DRADIS console.

"The raiders are positioning themselves to completely besiege the PEGASUS", Sanders reported to Cain.

"They're making sure that we don't re-open fire on them without getting ourselves vaporized ", Tolen commented.

"One of the base stars is moving in above us", Annan reported immediately after, "Looks like it is going to try and dock onto our upper hatch. I've ordered the marines to deploy there".

Just then, the interphone buzzed. Tolen picked it up and listened to the voice on the other end.

"Thyssen reports that he has the FTL hooked up directly to the secondary energizer - completely bypassing the damaged circuits", Tolen said to Cain, "When he switches the power on direct into the FTL, it will activate the jump, but with that amount of raw power, he can't make any guarantees that we'll survive it" .

Cain nodded. It would be now or never…

"Tell him to activate the FTL", Cain ordered, "and pray that we live through the jump".

Down in Engineering, Thyssen flipped the switch to pump all power from the secondary energizer into the FTL. The FTL glowed red from the power overload, then activated.

**COMMAND CYLON BASE STAR**

The Cylon raiders covering the PEGASUS saw the battlestar shimmer, then flash out of existence.

"They jumped!", Number Six exclaimed, "But how? Their navicomp was disabled!"

"They must have activated the FTL without it", Number Two replied, "The humans could be anywhere! We've lost them again".

"If they survived the jump, that is", Number Six commented, "They may have just saved us the trouble of killing them, and if not, our agent is still on board…"


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – UNCHARTED SPACE**

With a flash, the PEGASUS reappeared in normal space. All over the battlestar, the crew quickly recovered from the momentary sensation of disorientation and nausea- which was much more pronounced than usual, indicating that this jump had been quite a long one...

Up in CIC, Cain quickly ordered Sanders to do a scan of local space and star map positioning while Tolen quickly checked his console for damage control issues.

"Looks like the PEGASUS came through the jump okay, Commander", Tolen reported after a couple of seconds.

"Yes, but jump to where?" Cain mused.

Sanders was looking through his data and the navigation readouts - which were all flashing NULL. The jump had taken them way out of mapped space. "Commander", Sanders reported, "The Navi-comp is not getting any familiar data from the stellar references in this location. We're in uncharted space".

"At least we're not out in intergalactic space, Comms", Tolen said, looking at the external scanner images, "We're still seeing lots of stars and there is a system close by".

"But totally unfamiliar, XO", Sanders informed him, "None of the stellar constellations match anything in our database. We may be in close proximity to star systems, but they are utterly unknown to the computer, and since the jump was un-plotted, we can't retrace the jump back to our departure point!".

"As I'm not too enthused about going back to those base stars, let's get some local information first, Comms", Cain said, "dispatch probes to the nearest systems and get CAG to commence a CAP. Until we get a bearing on our location, we have to assume that there are hostile forces out there and we have to keep the PEGASUS covered until we finish repairs".

As Sanders relayed the order to Annan, Cain next picked up the interphone and contacted Thyssen.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS - ENGINEERING**

"What's the situation down there, Wyatt?" Cain inquired.

"Just a moment, Commander", Thyssen replied, "We're still picking up the pieces down here".

"Did the FTL survive at least?" Cain asked.

"Yes, but it's smoking some from the power overload", Thyssen answered, "It'll take time to get it cooled down enough to check. In the meantime, I've got my people busy trying to get the sub-light drive systems back on line".

"Understood", Cain replied, "Keep us informed on developments".

**SILVER SPAR WING READY ROOM**

Down in both landing bays – which had finished re-extending, the support crews were busy getting the combat-landed vipers back into the launch tubes. Frantically, the vipers were being rearmed and refueled.

While this was happening, Gene Syke was talking to his squadron commanders in the wing ready room.

"So we lost six ships in the last engagement", Syke commented after getting the inital reports, "It's times like this that I wish we had kept the Black Knights on board".

Just then, Syke's commlink beeped. Syke activated it. Annan was on the other end.

"Get a CAP up and running, CAG", Annan ordered, "Actual wants a protective screen around the PEGASUS until we get the propulsion systems back on line, plus we need to get scouts out to reconoiter the area".

"Any idea where we are, Lieutenant?" Syke asked.

"Comms reports that we have jumped to unknown space. With the FTL's navi-comp non-operational, all we know is that we survived the jump and that we are somewhere".

"Understood", Syke acknowledged. He turned to face one of his squadron commanders: 'Ice' Truly.

"Ice", get your squadron up. Half on screening Home Plate, and the other half on combat recon", he ordered. Truly nodded and headed back to his squadron's pilots.

"Hondo", Syke said to his recon squadron C.O., Lieutenant Hunter, "Get some scouts out and see what we have out there. Everything we have".

"I'll take the FLEET AVENGER out myself, Bojay", Hondo replied.

"The rest of the wing is on condition two alert", Syke said to the others, "Spar Three will stand down for now, but make sure your crew chiefs make sure that every available viper is ready to go".

Nodding, they headed back to their respective squadrons. Tricia Cain however stayed put.

"What's up, Sheba?" Syke inquired.

"My crew chief reported that my ship suffered some damage and will be out for a couple of hours", she informed him, "so I would like to take out one of the raptors instead of sitting here waiting". Syke initially thought to disagree, then remembered that Tricia was a qualified raptor pilot, and since they needed every raptor and javelin scout up to survey the immediate space...

"Let Hondo know", Syke said, "and make sure that he assigns you a good RSO".

Nodding, Tricia headed out to catch up with Hondo. Syke then turned to get back to his ship.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

Up in CIC, Annan reported that Syke had ordered Spar Two Squadron to fly CAP and local scout patrols, and that Hunter was deploying all available scouts to start surveying the local space.

"Still no other ships in our vicinity, Commander", Sanders reported after checking the latest DRADIS console data, "looks like we're alone".

"Well, it'll give Major Thyssen quiet time to get the main drive and FTL back on line", Cain responded, "plus damage control will have some uninterrupted time to take care of our recent battle damage. Still, maintain Condition Two alert for now".

"Understood, commander", Tolen acknowledged.

While the vipers of spar Two Sqaudron were being launched, down in the galley, one of the crewmen l,ooking out a portal at the launching fighters was quietly musing. His little sabotage effort had almost worked. It had been sheer genius to think of coming on board the PEGASUS as a cook. Who would suspect a dishwasher? Still, the fact the battlestar survived meant that the humans would be on alert now that the sabotage had been found out and detected as such...

**RECON RAPTOR ONE**

As the combat air patrol deployed in their formations covering the PEGASUS, the Peregrine gunship, the two raptors, the stealth-star, and the four javelins of the reconnaisance squadron launched and proceeded to radiate out in different directions from the battlestar. In one of the raptors, Tricia was piloting.

"Okay, Handles", Tricia said to her RSO after she has programmed in her course, "we're going to make the initial jump just outside that system Hondo dispatched us to. Use your passive sensors first, and if it's okay, then go ahead with the active array. Clear?"

"Understood, Sheba", Ensign Jake "Handles" Pickell replied.

Pickell was one of the new transfers from the battlestar DAEDALUS and this was his first combat mission for the PEGASUS.

"Okay, then let's get ready to make the jump. Stand by", Tricia said.

As Pickell got his sensor array activated to 'passive' mode, Tricia started the countdown for the jump. "Here we go. In 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1... jump".

With a flash, the raptor vanished, and reappeared an instant later two light-years ahead in the outskirts of the star system she had been directed to. "Local area is reading no traffic", Pickell reported after looking at the short-range LIDAR.

"Start your passive scans then", Tricia ordered. Pickell nodded, then activated his receivers to start scanning wireless ferquencies. What he heard after a few seconds got a gasp.

"What is it, Handles?" Tricia asked. "I'm picking up human voices, Sheba! Faint, but unmistakable!"

"Maybe a battlestar?" Tricia inquired softly. Pickell heard her question. "No. It's a lot of traffic on several frequences - Civilian", Pickell responded.

"Pipe it up to my headset", Tricia ordered. As Tricia listened, her eyes widened. One channel was playing music, another seemed to be transmitting the roar of a large audience, and another was a human voice speaking.

"Can you get me a better reception?" Tricia asked.

"I'll have to get some of the active systems up", Pickell replied.

"Given this amount of traffic beaming into space, I don't think that's going to be a problem. Activate". As Pickell did so, Tricia started to hear clearer the various channels. The voices were human, and more importantly, the languages the voices on the channels were speaking sounded familiar!

"What do you make of the language?" Tricia asked. She knew that Pickell was also a linguist. "There seems to be two primary tongues", Pickell replied after a few seconds of listening, "One sounds like pigeon Caprican, and the other sounds frakking close to Gemonese, The Gemonese dialect is doing an advertisement for some product and the clearest receiving Caprican voice seems to be describing a game of some kind!".

Just then, a light started to flash on Pickell's console. He tapped Tricia on the shoulder to draw her attention to it.

"We've got something on LIDAR", Pickell said unnecessarily.

"Get a fix on it, Handles, while I get our FTL ready to jump back - just in case it's more Cylons", Sheba directed.

"It's definitely not Cylon", Pickell said as he tuned in his active arrays to scan the newcomer, "Two ships. Warbook has no classification for either, but it looks like one is chasing the other".

"Punch up the co-ordinates and we'll take a look. You think that they picked up your sensor scan?" she asked.

"Doesn't look like it", Pickell replied, "and the ship that is chasing the other is giving off weird readings. Very high - borderline lethal - radiation emissions... Now it's firing projectiles at the other ship!"

"Power up the missile platform", Tricia ordered, "looks like there may be some trouble".

Tricia smoothly brought the raptor up to full power and was now closing on the two ships. As she closed in on the pursuer and the pursued, she noticed through her long range monitor display screen that the ship giving chase to the other looked extremely crude and roughly patched - like it had been cobbled together. Also, the surface seemed to be coated in crude swabs of red paint. There were other objects around the ship that looked like...

"Oh Frakk!" Tricia exclaimed with an expression of pure disgust.

"What is it, Sheba?" Pickell asked.

"That radiation-dumping ship has gotten human corpses tied to it's outside! Scan that abomination for life forms, then check on the other ship!" she ordered, he face sneering with disdain at the sight.

"The radiation is stopping us from scanning the pursuit ship, but the other..." Pickell began, then exclaimed "Holy Frakk, the occupants are human!"

"Good enough for me", Tricia muttered as she thumbed the MISSILE ARMED switch on her control column.

Tricia brought the raptor right onto the 'six' position of the brutally disgusting pursuit ship. Whoever - or whatever, Tricia thought - was controlling it evidentially did not detect them. That must mean that if it wasn't a feint of some kind, their sensors were either very primitive, or non-existent...

"You're locked on target", Pickell said after checking his console, "All missiles are ready to fire at your discretion".

Grimly nodding, Tricia thumbed the FIRE button. Two scarab missiles thundered out from the raptor's port-side hard point and homed in on the targeted vessel...

With a flash, the target disintegrated as the missiles struck home. It didn't even fly evasive... Tricia now turned her attention to the other ship, which was now slowing down.

"Try to hail that ship", Tricia instructed Pickell as she closed in on it.

As she got nearer, she noticed that the ship had the lines of a freighter of some type. A glowing spherical protrusion from its rear reminded her of the lightning bugs she saw as a girl back on Caprica... Just then, Pickell spoke.

"I'm getting something", Pickell said, "I'll send it up to your headset".

"...whoever you are, thank you for your help! Them Reavers didn't know what hit 'em!", was what Tricia heard. It sounded Caprican, but the accent was definitely weird!

"This is Recon Raptor One", Tricia carefully replied, "Can you understand?".

"Yeah, I can", the voice replied, "but that accent of yours is a little unfamiliar. You're not from any of the Core Worlds, by any chance?"

Not knowing what the voice meant by 'Core Worlds', she replied, "I'm glad that we could help, and I'll be glad to fill you in on where I'm from, but could you first tell me who you are?"

"Sure thing, Little Lady", the voice responded, "My name is Mal Reynolds and I'm the skipper of the freighter SERENITY".


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

**PEREGRINE "FLEET AVENGER"**

As Tricia was establishing her first contact with SERENITY, over in another region of space, the FLEET AVENGER flashed out of its FTL-jump.

"We're at our co-ordinates, Hondo", Sims announced, "we're ready to start our recon".

"Okay, Coffin", Hunter replied, "Looks like a sizeable system ahead. A White star system, by the looks of it".

Sims stated up his passive short-range sensor array to see if there were any ships in their proximity. After a few seconds, Sims spoke:

"Nothing on short range passives, Hondo", Sims announced, "So… do you want me to start initial active scans now?"

"Go ahead, Coffin", Hunter approved. Three seconds later, Sims spoke again:

"Hondo, I'm picking up a lot of communications chatter on quite a large range of frequencies in the Gamma range coming from the system ahead. I may be crazy, but they all sound human!"

"Get a confirm on that, and see if you can get a fix on those signals" , Hondo ordered.

With such a long jump into uncharted space, nothing could be taken for granted. It could still be Cylons trying to lure them into a trap…

The data coming through on his screen made Sim's eyes go wider. There were a plethora of signals, and they were coming from more than one source!

"The signals are coming from multiple planets in that system ahead, Hondo", Sims announced, "and I'm starting to isolate a couple of them… Frakk!" Sims exclaimed.

"What's up?" Hondo demanded, surprised at Sims' exclamation.

"I'm piping it up to you now", Sims responded. Hunter looked at one of his screens on his instrument panel as it lit up. What he saw took his breath away.

"'Frakk' is a good way of putting it, Coffin", Hondo said as he took in the transmission.

What he was seeing was a picture of two scantily clad people conversing on what looked like a beach! While gentle background music played, a young man and a woman – definitely human – were speaking in what sounded like quaintly accented Caprican!

"I love you", the woman said to the man in the picture, "and I want to bear your children".

Just then, the screen's image changed to an image of cartoon figures singing a little song in what sounded a lot like Gemonese!

"This can't be happening!", Hunter blurted out, "a sit-com, and an advertisement?"

"That's not all, Hondo", Sims said next, "I'm getting not only video signals, but an immense number of audio transmissions. Not just from the planets, but also what seems to be ship-to-ship! All sound human, and all sound civilian!"

"You don't think…?" Hunter asked half to himself. Could they have found the descendents of the thirteenth colony?

Just then, a PROXIMITY ALERT alarm sounded on his console.

"Heads up, Hondo", Sims announced, "We've got an incoming ship at six-one-one tarim two-five-five".

"Get me a visual!" Hondo ordered.

Sims punched up his visual sensors on the incoming ship. Hunter looked at it keenly. Sims at the same time started a scan of the vessel with the LIDAR.

The incoming ship was huge. It was about a little over twice the size of the PEGASUS, but for all that, it looked rather crude. It looked like a bowl with four building-like protrusions pointing upward.

"Scans indicate it to be a warship of some kind", Sims announced, "Propulsion system seems to be nuclear fusion-type. No F-T-L or tyllium readings either. Life-signs show human. Several thousand at least. Weapons systems look like an array of torpedoes and missiles. Seem rather primitive though… I'm picking up an incoming transmission on UNICOM. We're being hailed".

"I'm getting the FTL drive ready for an immediate jump", Hunter announced, "but let's see what the incoming has to say first…"

**IAV DORTMUNDER.**

"Commandant", one of the bridge officers announced, "We've got a good visual on the unidentified ship".

"What do you make of it?", Commandant Hardie Ruger, the commanding officer of the DORTMUNDER asked.

"This vessel matches nothing in our database", the bridge officer replied, "but the layout of it shows it to be a warship of some sort. Possibly a scout of some kind".

Ruger frowned. A military vessel here in the White Sun system? Could it be some kind of prototype that the Alliance navy was testing? He found it hard to believe that it could be hostile given its size. Still…

"Have you done an IFF challenge?" Ruger asked the Communications Officer.

"Negative response to IFF, Commandant", was the reply.

"Any idea where it came from?" Ruger asked next.

"Nothing on our sensors to indicate a mother ship anywhere nearby, and I'm not picking up any exhaust trail on the ship, so I can't plot it's trajectory".

Ruger walked over to the console where the visual sensors were showing the vessel. It certainly did not have the look of anything he'd seen before, and it wasn't an old and scarred-looking vessel, as one would expect coming from a rim world planet. Just then, he saw lettering on the side: FLEET AVENGER, and a symbol that resembled nothing he had ever seen before. Also, he noticed hard-points on its hull, and they had what looked like missiles attached.

Ruger had to make a decision. An unknown vessel from an unknown location armed to the teeth… He turned to his weapons officer.

"Weapons Officer", Ruger announced, "get a missile lock on that vessel. Communications!" he ordered next, "hail that vessel. Something is not right here…"

**FLEET AVENGER**

Sims activated a relay on his console so that Hunter could key his mike to the hail. He then turned on his headset.

"Unidentified Vessel, this is the IAV DORTMUNDER", Hondo heard in his headset, "Heave to and identify yourself immediately. You are in Alliance space with no identification code. Explain."

The accent was rather archaic, but Hondo and Coffin could easily understand. But who – or what – was a DORTMUNDER? And what did IAV mean…?

"I'm picking up a radar-based weapons lock from the DORTMUNDER, Hondo", Sims announced, "but our sensors are indicating that their weapons are rather primitive missiles. They also have what appears to be a number of fighters docked to its underside. I can't tell much about the capabilities of their fighters at this time, but if they launch missiles, we could take them out, or evade easily even without going FTL. They don't even seem to be aware of our LIDAR scans either".

"You got our weapons systems powered up?" Hunter asked next. Sims clicked his mike twice in acknowledgement.

"If they launch any fighters, we'll F-T-L out", Hunter announced, "If they launch missiles, we'll take them out".

"I've got my eyes – and sensors – peeled, Hondo", Sims replied as he powered up the anti-missile platform.

"Thanks, Coffin", Hunter replied, "Well, these humans – whoever they are - want an answer, so I'd better oblige them". With that, he cued his mike and switched to UNICOM.

"DORTMUNDER" , Hunter replied slowly, "This is the Twelve Colonies Armed Forces Peregrine FLEET AVENGER. Are you receiving me?"

**IAV DORTMUNDER.**

Ruger and his Communications Officer looked at each other in confusion. Twelve Colonies Armed Forces? What was that? Plus the accent of the person speaking on the wireless sounded peculiar.

Ruger looked over at his Intelligence Officer, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Commandant", the Intel Officer said, "that accent is nothing that I've heard before, either in the Core or out on the Rim". Nodding, Ruger keyed his mike.

"FLEET AVENGER", Ruger said into his mike, "Your ship has made an unauthorized entrance into space controlled by the Union of Allied Planets. As your vessel has been determined to be an armed warship, I am hereby informing you to power down your systems and to prepare to be boarded. You are to consider yourself bound by law".

"That is negative", Ruger heard in reply, "I cannot permit you to board my vessel without authorization from my commander. Any attempt to do so and I will be forced to defend myself".

Ruger's eyes widened. A small ship that was smaller than a FIREFLY-class freighter threatening the flagship of the Anglo-Sino alliance? He turned to his weapons officer.

"Fire a missile at its propulsion system – or wherever you think it is on that ship", Ruger ordered, "time to show whoever they are who the boss is around here…"

**FLEET AVENGER**

"They've fired a missile at us, Hondo", Sims reported, "Estimated time to impact, thirty seconds".

Hunter's eyes widened. That was one slow weapon. He sighted his weapons array on the incoming missile and launched a Lancer ABM.

The Lancer sped towards the incoming missile, covering the distance to the missile at a speed four times faster than the incoming missile. There was no time for the missile to go evasive. The Lancer hit the missile, which caused it to explode.

After confirming that the incoming missile has indeed been taken out, Hunter keyed his mike.

"DORTMUNDER, your missile has been destroyed. Your actions can be interpreted as a hostile act towards the colonies and therefore we are entitled to fire back, but we prefer to talk. Acknowledge".

**IAV DORTMUNDER.**

The weapons officer could not believe how easily their missile had been taken out. That ship's anti-missile battery had destroyed their missile with ease!

"Let's launch gunships", the XO suggested, "They can take out that ship with sheer weight of numbers!"

"Hold on that!", Ruger ordered, "If they could take out our missile that easily, who knows what anti-ship capability they may have!". With that, he keyed his mike.

"Who are you?" Ruger said into his mike, "There's no weapons system I know of that could have taken out our missile like that!"

"I am a reconnaissance vessel for a Colonial Battlestar searching for elements of our fleet that may have come this way", Ruger heard.

"What is a battlestar?" Ruger asked, perplexed by what he had heard.

"It is a major warship quite capable of taking out your vessel, DORTMUNDER", was the reply. Ruger's eyes widened further. A vessel that could take out an alliance cruiser? He hoped his voice tone remained steady as he keyed his mike.

"What are your intentions, FLEET AVENGER?" Ruger asked next.

"Do you have any knowledge of a warship named GALACTICA, or a planet named Earth?" was the reply he heard.

"Earth-That-Was?" Ruger blurted out, not quite believing what he heard.

"You are from Earth?" was the next question.

"Well obviously", Ruger replied, "but that was generations ago! As for this GALACTICA, I don't know what you're talking about".

**FLEET AVENGER**

Hunter didn't take in the last part. He only heard that this ship and its human crew had originally come from Earth!

"I have to report back to my ship", Hunter announced, "but I will bring back someone better suited for diplomacy. Can you maintain your station at these co-ordinates?"

Hunter heard Ruger reply, "Yes we can, FLEET AVENGER, but I'll have to report your presence to my superiors. They may want to send a diplomat out as well". Not to mention more firepower, Ruger silently added.

"Very well", Hunter replied, "I'll endeavor to get a response back to you as quickly as possible. FLEET AVENGER out".

With that, Hunter powered up the FTL. He had to get back to the PEGASUS with this information…

**IAV DORTMUNDER.**

With a flash, the FLEET AVENGER suddenly vanished. Ruger ordered long range scans to determine if the vessel had reappeared anywhere nearby.

"Negative, Commandant", the Sensors officer replied.

"Perhaps they blew themselves up", the X.O. mused quietly. Ruger heard him.

"If that had happened, X.O., we would have detected debris", Ruger pointed out, "it looks like that ship may have an F-T-L capability".

"Faster Than Light?" the X.O. blurted out incredulously, "but that's impossible".

"If you can come up with a better explanation, X.O., I'm willing to listen, but that was an armed military vessel with at least an advanced Anti-missile capability, plus some kind of super-drive mechanism. Our sensors detected energy emissions from that ship of a type unfamiliar to the database. So if you have an answer to all of it, speak up!" Ruger stated. The X.O. shook his head.

"Communications!" Ruger ordered, "Send out a flash priority message to the Admiralty on Ariel. Whoever those people are, I think we're going to need help from a lot higher up…"


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**STEALTH RAPTOR 'TWO JASONS'**

While the FLEET AVENGER was in the midst of its encounter with the DORTMUNDER, the stealth raptor – kindly donated by Admiral Tillman – piloted by Jason 'Newguy' Gorde with Jason 'Snoopy' Dundee exited its FTL-jump in its assigned area: a planetary system with a red central star.

After confirming his exit co-ordinates, Gorde spoke to Dundee:

"Start your scans, Snoopy", Gorde directed, "Passives first, then actives. I'll do the local space scan".

"I'm on it", Dundee replied.

Dundee powered up his receptors while Gorde quickly used his sensors to see if there was any spacecraft in the vicinity. What he saw surprised him.

"I'm getting multiple contacts, Snoopy", Gorde announced, "Going to and fro the nearest planet to us. Warbook shows no match on any of them, but ships don't appear to be military".

"Newguy", Dundee said as by way of reply, "I'm also getting a whole bunch of transmissions – both video and audio – coming from the planet closest to us".

"Can you make out any of it, Snoopy?", Gorde asked.

"It all seems to be civilian traffic", Snoopy replied, "All in the clear too. Sounds like a dialect of Caprican predominantly, and also some Gemonese. Human, that's for sure".

Human? This certainly wasn't the colonies, so how was this possible, Gorde wondered. Well, finding out answers to questions was what he was here for, so he turned back to Dundee.

"Well, the Old Man wants us to reconnoiter, so I'm going to go closer in to that planet", Gorde announced, "As this is a stealth raptor, we should be okay, but stand by to activate the FTL if we have to leave in a hurry. Okay?"

"No problem, Newguy", Dundee confirmed.

"Oh, and keep listening in on those signals. Let me know if anything amiss comes up", Gorde ordered as well.

"I'm recording as many of the transmissions as possible", Dundee replied, "This should give the Core Command folk back on the PEGASUS something to keep them busy".

While Dundee was busy listening to – and recording - the various transmissions through his console, Gorde smoothly brought the stealth-raptor's sub-light drive on line. He punched in instructions to the navi-comp, and proceeded to bring the stealth-raptor on a course to close in to the nearest planet. At the same time, the LIDAR sensor array came on line…

**ALLIANCE SENTINEL POST ORBITING JIANGYIN, RED STAR SYSTEM**

On the control deck of the sentinel post – the premier symbol of Alliance control for the planet Jiangyin – the control deck was fully manned with various officers manning consoles that covered the various sectors of local space. As well as local space traffic control, these sentinel posts were also handy in cutting down on illicit trade activities, and as the Alliance officers on these sentinel posts were professionals, they were doing their job in a methodical manner. Normal traffic going to and from Jiangyin were carefully monitored by the Sentinel post, and most of the time, it was purely routine, but this day, the routine was about to get interrupted in an interesting way…

"Commandant", one of the planetary traffic controllers announced from his console, "I'm getting some weird energy emissions coming from sector eight-seven".

Commandant Rhoodie – the Sentinel Post Commander – walked over to the officer.

"What do you have?" Rhoodie asked.

"I've been getting some weird energy readings from that sector – nothing identifiable, but the visual sensors are not showing anything", the officer replied.

"Problems with your sensor array perhaps?" Rhoodie inquired.

"I've run a diagnostic, but the routine shows the array is working okay", the officer replied, "It's reporting unidentified – but strong - energy emanations coming from a localized point in that sector, and they seem to be getting closer".

Rhoodie frowned. That sector was off the authorized flight paths of spacecraft going to and from Jiangyn, so there should not be any traffic there, and the visual sensors seemed to back that up. It all pointed to a problem with the array. Still…

"Monitor the anomaly", Rhoodie ordered, "If it gets within a thousand clicks of Jiangyn, let me know".

"Yes, Commandant", the officer replied.

**STEALTH RAPTOR 'TWO JASONS'**

As the stealth-raptor approached the planet, Gorde and Dundee activated their LIDAR sensor recorders. Cain would want to get as much intel as possible on this planet, and with the transmissions, plus the data they were picking up from the various spacecraft, they were getting quite a bit.

"Hey Newguy", Dundee announced, "I'm picking up some neat music on one of the stations. Really catchy tune".

Gorde shook his head, though he was smiling a little. Trust Snoopy to find something like that! Still…

"You'll be catching an ear-full from Cain if you get distracted from your mission, Snoopy", Gorde admonished with a chuckle, "You'd better get me a scan on the planet itself".

Deftly, Dundee activated his planetary sensors. In seconds, information came up on his screen.

"The planet has a habitable atmosphere, Newguy", he announced first, "I'm also picking up a lot of energy emissions – nuclear fusion mainly - and some degree of atmospheric pollution indicative of an advanced technology. Also, I'm getting a lot of lifeform readings - human".

"That figures", Gorde replied, "and my sensor scans on a couple of the spaceships also indicates human lifeforms, though still nothing indicating anything familiar to Colonial – or Cylon – technology. Certainly no tyllium".

Dundee shook his head at that in disbelief. A human-populated world – advanced technology – but no tyllium? That didn't make much sense.

"No tyllium", Dundee mused aloud, "so I guess we haven't found the GALACTICA or the ships that were with her".

"So what do you make of this, Snoopy?" Gorde asked.

"Maybe we found Earth, or at least a part of the thirteenth colony", Dundee said with a slight chuckle, before his expression turned serious. His tounge-in-cheek reply might very well be correct! Gorde nodded agreement, but he also thought of another possibility...

"Or it could be an elaborate Cylon trap", Gorde warned, "We can't rule that possibility out".

"Even though our sensors are detecting nothing remotely indicating Cylons?" Dundee asked next.

"I'm getting the same data as you, Snoopy: nothing even remotely hinting at Cylon technology or transmission type", Gorde replied, "so if this is a tin-head trap, then it's a pretty elaborate one".

"Well, the FTL is ready to fire up just in case", Dundee said in reassurance.

As Dundee continued to monitor his console, Gorde continued his approach to the planet. Once in orbit, he would be able to do a more detailed scan. Gorde also wondered about Dundee's earlier comment. Could this be what Commander Adama and the GALACTICA were looking for…?

**ALLIANCE SENTINEL POST ORBITING JIANGYIN, RED STAR SYSTEM**

The console officer who made the initial contact report waved Rhoodie over.

"Anomaly is now within one thousand clicks, Commandant", the officer announced.

"Very well. Send out a scout drone", Rhoodie ordered, "There's something out there and I want to see what it is!"

The officer punched in a command on his console. Within thirty seconds, a remote probe was dispatched on an intercept course with the anomalous reading, which was not only closing with the planet, but starting to slow…

**STEALTH-RAPTOR "TWO JASONS"**

"Heads-up, Newguy", Dundee announced, "We've got something incoming".

"Missile?" Gorde asked,

"Doesn't look like it", Snoopy replied, "Looks like a recon probe of some type. It came from a space station orbiting the planet ahead".

"What are the chances that it can see us?" Gorde inquired.

"Couldn't say", Dundee answered, "but its moving rather slow for a probe and given what the LIDAR array in indicating, the probe is quite a primitive one. Gorde considered. His stealth-raptor was designed to be as undetectable as possible, though the use of the active sensors would have compromised that to some extent. ..

"Turn off the LIDAR, the other active sensors and go quiet", Gorde ordered, "We'll see if this probe picks us up or not".

**ALLIANCE SENTINEL POST ORBITING JIANGYIN, RED STAR SYSTEM**

"I've lost the emissions, Commandant", the controller announced.

"At the moment our probe headed out", Rhoodie said, not believing in co-incidences. "Very well, put the station on alert. We've got something closing in and until we find otherwise, we assume its hostile".

The officer punched in the command to bring the station on alert. Rhoodie then turned to his communications officer.

"Major", he ordered, "send a signal to Ariel Admiralty informing them that we have an unidentified contact approaching Jiangyin and are on alert. Follow-up message will follow when we get more information".

**STEALTH-RAPTOR "TWO-JASONS"**

"I'm picking up a scrambled transmission from the station, Newguy", Dundee announced, "military, by the sound of it".

"Any chance of decoding it?" Gorde asked.

"Negative", Dundee replied, "It's format doesn't match anything remotely resembling Colonial or Cylon in our database".

"You think it's detected us?" Dundee asked.

"With a probe coming our way and this transmission, it's a safe bet, Snoopy", Gorde replied. He had hoped to be able to get more information, but given that the stealth-raptor was the only one in the PEGASUS inventory, he didn't want to put it to undue risk.

"Okay", Gorde said, "I'm going to do a high-speed fly-by. Have your sensors go fully active and get as much as you can: both the planet and that space station. I'm going to go FTL as soon as we pass the planet.

**ALLIANCE SENTINEL POST ORBITING JIANGYIN, RED STAR SYSTEM**

"I'm getting the readings again, Commandant", the controller announced suddenly, "and it's accelerating! Looks like its going to do a close-in flyby".

"IFF challenge now!", Rhoodie ordered, just to see if this anomaly was something from the Alliance.

"Negative IFF", the officer came back, "and the anomaly's energy emissions have increased. Seems to be directed planet-ward… Now the emissions are aiming at us!".

"Get a weapons lock on it", Rhoodie ordered.

"It's accelerating too fast for missile intercept", the weapons officer announced, "I've not seen anything accelerate this fast before!".

Rhoodie looked up in surprise. Something that fast was definitely nothing he had heard about in regards to Alliance military testing, and the people here in this system didn't have Core World technology, so it couldn't be them. Also, they were far away from Reaver space. This was something completely unknown!

"Is the anomaly going to be passing anywhere near us?" Rhoodie asked next.

"It s already passed us", the controller replied, and then he said, "I've picked up some kind of energy spike and a flash… Now there's nothing!"

"Nothing? Not even debris?" Rhoodie asked.

"Absolutely nothing", the controller confirmed, "First, it was there, and then it just vanished!"

"Inform Ariel accordingly, use the Omicron protocol", Rhoodie ordered with a grim look on his face…

**IAV DEVISOR – RED SUN SYSTEM**

"Commandant", the communications office said, "I've intercepted a top priority signal from the Jiangyin Sentinel Post to the Admiralty".

Commandant De Wet walked over to the communications console where he could read it. His eyes widened.

"Encoded with the Omicron protocol", De Wet noticed, "They're not supposed to do that except in time of war".

De Wet then turned to his navigation officer.

"Change course. We're heading to Jiangyin. Notify the sentinel post", he ordered.

The Alliance Navy was now becoming alerted to the unknown visitors, but not only the navy …

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION HEADQUARTERS**

"Director", an executive said, "Our liason at the Admiralty on Ariel is reporting interesting intelligence being received from various elements of the Alliance Navy".

The Director of Blue Sun swiveled around in his desk chair to face the executive. Even though the executive was an up-and-coming member of the inner circle of Blue Sun, he still knew fear, and the piercing eyes of the Director made his skin crawl.

"What kind of intelligence?" the Director asked.

"IAV DORTMUNDER reported an encounter with an unknown warship just within the White Sun System, The Sentinel Post orbiting Jiangyin reported unknown energy emissions from a vessel with some kind of stealth feature, and several remote sensor drones used to track any Reaver incursions have detected similar energy patterns", the executive explained.

"Punch it up on my desk console", the director ordered.

The executive maintained a respectful silence as he scanned the data. Then he looked up.

"I see that the SUMTER is heading out to support the DORTMUNDER", the director said, "We have a presence on that ship, do we not?", the Director asked.

"Yes, Director", the Executive replied.

"Send an encoded message to our man on the SUMTER to keep me informed of any developments", the Director ordered.

The executive nodded and left the palatial office.

The director swiveled his chair back around again. Perhaps something was coming that Blue Sun could exploit, he thought…


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

**ADMIRALTY BUILDING – ARIEL, WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

"Admiral", the cryptographic officer said, "Another report of an unidentified vessel just came in from our sentinel post at Jiangyin".

"Any resemblance to the description of the vessel encountered by the DORTMUNDER?", Admiral Hendrix asked.

"Negative. Commandant Rhoodie reports that the contact not was not visible on visual sensors, but the follow-up information showed energy emanations with definite similarities to the ones detected by the DORTMUNDER", the crypto officer replied.

Just then, another officer walked in with a data pad and handed it in to the Cryptographic officer.

"Admiral", the Crypto officer said, "We've received additional contact information with two other unidentified ships. One near Beaumonde in the Kalidasa System, and the other near Regina in the Georgia System. M.O.'s are the same: unfamiliar energy emissions, and a sudden disappearance with a flash of light after being challenged".

"But no voice-to-voice communications with any of them, right?" Hendrix asked.

"Apart from the DORTMUNDER, no, Admiral", the Crypto officer confirmed.

Nodding his dismissal, the Crypto officer left Hendrix' office. Hendrix next turned to his Chief of Staff, who had been quietly listening in on the reports.

"Commandant, what are the disposition of our forces?", Hendrix asked.

Commandant Vorster walked over to the star map that had adorned the entire wall on one side of Hendrix's office.

"The IAV SUMTER is heading out to rendezvous with the DORTMUNDER to assist if and when this other vessel returns", Vorster replied, "A shuttle from the Diplomatic Department has already rendezvoused with the SUMTER, and an ambassador – plus an operative – have been taken aboard. The other ships not on patrol have taken up station in orbit around Osiris, Bellerophon, Ariel, and Beaumonde".

Hendrix nodded. He wasn't taking the chance that this could be an unknown enemy about to launch an attack on the Alliance's strategic planets. Just then, he saw his scrambler phone blink.

Motioning Vorster to sit down, Hendrix went to his desk and picked up the phone.

"Hendrix", he said into it.

"Admiral", the voice in the other side of the phone said, "This is the President".

"Yes, Mr. President", Hendrix replied.

"My military attaché has just given me the reports of these unknown contacts. I'm about to brief the cabinet, and then the Prime Minister. But is there anything you can add before I see them?" the President inquired.

Hendrix thought for a moment. It was pretty clear that both cabinet and parliament would want to know more about these incursions, and these people did not like to listen to excuses. Still, given the unknowns, it was not a wise course of action to try and say anything more than the bare facts at hand.

"If this 'FLEET AVENGER' or its mother ship – a 'battlestar' I believe the FLEET AVENGER called it" - returns to the DORTMUNDER, hopefully we will have more information for you, Mr. President. The SUMTER is on its way to reinforce the DORTMUNDER. All other ships of the Home Fleet are taking defensive station positions around our strategic planets", Hendrix answered.

"You discount anything that may indicate these contacts coming from the rim planets or even the Reavers?" the President asked next.

"Judging from the intelligence reports, I am certain that these contacts are not connected to either", Hendrix replied, "Besides, our sentinel post and sentry ships over Miranda are detecting nothing abnormal from Reaver space".

On the other end of the line, the President winced at the reference to Miranda. It was three years previously that the cover-up of Miranda had been exposed by a group of former independents on a junked-up spaceship, and it took a lot of wheeling and dealing to avoid impeachment proceedings. The previous Prime Minister of Parliament was not so lucky…

"Very well, Admiral", the President finally said, "Keep me informed".

"Yes, Mr. President", Hendrix replied. The line then went dead.

Hanging up the scrambler, Hendrix turned to Vorster.

"Start a quiet call-up of reserves", Hendrix ordered, "But nothing to alert the populace in any of our systems. Understood?"

As Vorster nodded and left the office, Hendrix walked over to the star map, noting the positions of the encounters.

"Who – or what – are you?" he asked quietly to himself…

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – DEADHEADING TO MIRANDA.**

"Stand by, please", Mal heard the queerly accented voice say on the other end of the wireless communicator.

As Mal acknowledged, he turned towards his first officer.

"What do you make of her?" Mal Reynolds asked Zoe. Zoe was looking intently at the sleek lines of the raptor that had blasted the Reaver ship to smithereens.

"Definitely a military design, but nothing I've ever seen before", Zoe replied. Just then, River Tam walked up onto the bridge.

"River", Mal asked, "Can you get anything from that ship?".

River Tam looked out of the viewport at the raptor. Mal and Zoe watched as River seemed to concentrate.

"Holocaust… Colonial… Pegasus… Survivors…Scout", River haltingly said.

Mal looked at Zoe, who shrugged. Just then, Jayne Cobb walked onto the bridge.

"So that's them who whacked them Reavers, huh?" Jayne commented as he watched the Raptor from a viewport, "Mean-looking bird, ain't it?"

"SERENITY, this is Raptor Recon One", the same accented female voice said over the mike, "I am a reconnaissance scout ship from the Battlestar PEGASUS. Do you have any information pertaining to Earth, or the Battlestar GALACTICA?"

**RAPTOR RECON ONE**

"Sheba", Pickell said from the RSO station, "Should you be giving out intel like that? We don't know who or what they are".

"Our scans show they're human, they are not military, and since we're picking up human transmissions en-masse, we need to take a risk to get some detailed intel", Tricia replied. Just then, the wireless clicked back into life.

"I've never heard of a ship named GALACTICA, Raptor", Mal's voice said, "but you mentioned Earth. Are you referring to Earth-That-Was?"

"What is Earth-That-Was?" Tricia asked.

**SERENITY**

Mal looked over at River, who said, "They are not from here… Human survivors from a war… looking for GALACTICA… GALACTICA looking for Earth".

"Mal, you're not gonna give 'em any information, are ya?" Jayne hissed.

"If it weren't for them, we'd be Raptor meat by now, Jayne", Mal reminded him. He clicked his mike.

**RAPTOR RECON ONE**

"Earth-That-Was was our ancestral home", Mal's voice said, "Generations ago, It became overpopulated and couldn't support humanity anymore, so they terra-formed new worlds and settled them. You are right smack in the middle of Earth's descendents".

Tricia and Pickell looked at each other in amazement. If what this Mal Reynolds said was true, then they had found the descendents of the Thirteenth Tribe of Kobol!

"Are your planetary systems all space-capable, SERENITY?" Tricia asked next.

"The Core Worlds are high-tech and space capable, but out here in the dark, things are not quite so high-tech", Mal replied.

"Is there a government that our commander can talk to?" Tricia asked next.

**SERENITY**

Mal and Zoe looked at each other. The government that Tricia was asking about was an entity that had no love for them – or vice versa. They had allowed the SERENITY and its crew to settle down on Miranda, where Mal had managed to find steady work for his ship and crew, but since they had also recently fought a war against this government, they were rather loathe to extol its virtues when they had direct experience of its shadier side…

At that moment, Simon Tam walked on the bridge, followed by Kaylee Frye and Inara Sera. All three of them looked out at the raptor, then at Mal.

"Not alliance, not independents, certainly not Reavers", Mal said, "This ship is totally unknown, yet I can see that there are two humans at least aboard it".

"Weird accent too", Jayne added in his outer-world drawl. Simon refrained from commenting on Jayne's observation, but he turned to face his sister.

"River", Simon asked, "You get anything from them?"

"They are from outside our space", River replied, "Survivors from a war that destroyed their home planets. Things called Cylons did it. Some warships survived, and this ship is from one of them. Come from a long way away".

"If these are survivors looking for other humans, then they have found the right place", Inara opined.

"Judging from their technology, the Alliance would certainly welcome them with open arms, but what then?" Kaylee asked rhetorically. Kaylee may not have had all that much of a formal education, but her shrewdness and grasp of technological matters made her opinions ones not to ignore…

No one spoke. All knew what River had suffered at the hands of the Alliance. Should they warn them off? Mal thought for a few seconds, then keyed his mike".

"Raptor", he said, "Is your mother ship far from here? I think we both have a lot to tell each other".

**RAPTOR RECON ONE**

"The PEGASUS is a few light-days away from us", Tricia replied, "And since you don't seem to have an FTL drive, it would take a while for you to get there".

Mal thought about it, then keyed his mike.

"Well, perhaps you could come aboard SERENITY then", Mal suggested, "Our cargo bay is empty, and your ship can fit into it okay".

"You sure about that, SERENITY?" Tricia asked. True, the scans indicated that SERENITY's life support would not be inhibitive to them, but a straight invite like this was a surprise… Just then, Pickell tapped Tricia on her arm.

"It could be a trap", Pickell commented quietly, "Going into their ship puts us at their mercy".

"That ship is a freighter, not a warship", Tricia pointed out, "Besides, we're going to need some detailed intel. A group of civilians in a freighter is a good place as any to start. Besides, we've got our weapons".

Pickell reluctantly nodded. Tricia then keyed her mike.

"Very well, SERENITY, I accept your invitation. Depressurize your cargo bay and open the hatch. I'll bring the Raptor in".

"No problem, Raptor", Mal replied, "After all, we have to show hospitality to y'all for saving us from them Reavers".

"What are Reavers, by the way?" Tricia asked.

"Something worse than your worst nightmares, Girl", Mal replied, "I'll explain when y'all are on board",

Tricia looked at Pickell, who shrugged. Tricia – remembering what an abomination that ship was with its corpses, red paint, and lethal radiation emissions – decided not to press Mal on the subject for the time being.

Tricia noticed that a rear hatchway was opening at the bottom rear of SERENITY. Deftly, Tricia maneuvered the Raptor to come in from behind SERENITY. She could see that the cargo bay was easily large enough to contain the raptor, so she eased it on in.

Pickell noticed that the bay hatch was not heavily armored, so if it was indeed a trap, the raptor's rear-firing missiles could blow it out. He began to breathe a little easier, but still, he hoped that Sheba knew what she was doing…

**SERENITY.**

On his screen, Mal saw the raptor easily approach the open hatch. He was impressed with the skills of that pilot. Gently, the raptor entered the bay, then Mel saw it extend its landing gear, and then alight on the deck.

"She's in", Mal told Zoe, "Close the hatch and re-pressurize the cargo bay" .

As Zoe did so, Mal turned to Jayne and Simon.

"You two grab handguns, but keep them hidden", he said, "If those folk in that ship are armed, we have arms too, but don't pull out yours unless they pull out theirs".

"They're in our ship, so that gives us the advantage, Mal", Jayne pointed out, "and that raptor could come in mighty handy".

"But it's well armored and packing a lot of firepower and if they decide to fire some of it off down there in the bay, we'll all be sucking vac", Mal responded, "so let's keep things friendly for the time being; clear?"

Nodding, Jayne and Simon went to go to the armory. River stood up as well.

"River", Mal said gently, "I need you to control SERENITY. I know you've been programmed to be a weapon, but I need you here on the bridge".

River looked at Mal, then nodded. Just then, Inara stepped forward.

"This may be a good time for diplomacy", Inara said, "So let me go with you. Companions do have diplomatic training".

"Among other things", Mal muttered.

Inara gave him a vexed look. Just then, Zoe said, "Bay pressurized, so we can go meet our guests".

"Let's go", Mel said.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – SILVER SPAR BRIEFING ROOM**

Cain and Tolen listened intently to the debriefings given by the raptor crews and Lt. Hunter. All seemed to bear out the fact that what was ahead were a number of human-populated planets, with people from the Thirteenth Tribe.

"What really intrigues me though, Commander", Major Sanders – who was compiling the data from the debriefings – said, "is that there actually are three languages in all here: Caprican, Gemonese, and a Tauran dialect as well. The ancient archives do mention that the Thirteenth Tribe used these languages, but there does not seem to be as much deterioration in them as one would expect".

"What do you mean, Comms?" Cain inquired.

"Languages evolve, Commander", Sanders replied, "and if you recall, some of the famous plays written a half-millennium ago had showed a rather quaint dialect and pattern. These exist here, but we are still able to understand them, even though the Thirteenth Tribe left Kobol eons ago".

"You think that this could be a Cylon ruse after all?" Tolen asked. Sanders shook his head.

"The communications that we – and the other scouts have intercepted – are too widespread for that", Sanders replied, "and the scans that some of our ships did on various spacecraft – which match nothing in regards to Cylon technology or even colonial – did unmistakably show Human".

"With the usual Human suspicions", Cain noted, "given the encounter with the DORTMUNDER".

"Well, they did say that they are willing to remain on-station until we send an emissary", Hunter reminded.

"But if we send an emissary, what kind of reception committee will we get?" Tolen asked rhetorically, "for if I were in their shoes, I'd want some reinforcements".

"Their one missile strike attempt indicates that their weapons systems are not as advanced as ours", Sims ventured.

"We don't know about other technologies though", Sanders pointed out, "Just because they don't seem to have an FTL capability – never mind that the proximity of all their planets makes it unnecessary - doesn't mean that they don't have other types of weapons technology besides missiles".

"Still, this reference of theirs to 'Earth-That-Was' makes a follow-up contact necessary", Cain stated, "so the question is: who do we send: an emissary, or the PEGASUS herself?"

"If the DORTMUNDER is getting reinforced, the more firepower we have, the better", Gene Syke suggested. He had sat at the sidelines of the debriefing listening in.

"That could be interpreted as hostile, CAG", Sanders pointed out.

"They fired first, Comms", Syke replied, "so it won't appear to be unreasonable on our part to come in with some extra heat, so to speak".

"I'm still wondering about Captain Cain though", Tolen pointed out, "She has not returned from her recon".

"How long before her raptor's endurance reaches no-return?" Cain inquired, referring to the life-support capability of the raptor.

"Another four hours, assuming maximum use of consumables", Tolen answered.

"A follow-up contact with the DORTMUNDER is necessary", Cain decided, "but before we decide how to contact, We wait for Captain Cain's return. Lieutenant Hunter", Can ordered, "prepare the FLEET AVENGER for dispatch to Captain Cain's jump co-ordinates within three hours".

"Yes, Commander", Hunter acknowledged.

"CAG", Cain said next, "Continue the CAP, but make sure that our patrols don't stray too far away from Home Plate. I want to get us moving quickly".

"Yes, Commander", Syke replied.

"Oh, how goes the repairs down in engineering?", Cain asked Tolen.

"Thyssen reported to me that the FTL is operational – he doesn't know how it survived the overload from the mega-jump – and that the navi-comp and sub-light control systems are just about finished on their repairs. The damage from the recent battle has also almost been completely taken care of".

"I want that saboteur found, X.O.", Cain ordered, "Get as many people as we can spare on this".

"Yes, Commander ", Tolen replied, clearly hearing the steel in Cain's voice. That saboteur had almost gotten them destroyed. While they had escaped, there was no telling what other havoc that this person – almost certainly a Cylon – would do until it was apprehended…

"Okay, Dismissed", Cain said.

With that, the officers in the debriefing room broke up to head back to their posts. Cain lingered back, looking at the clock on the briefing room wall. He wondered what his daughter was up to…

**SERENITY – RAPTOR RECON ONE ON BOARD**

While the debriefing was going ahead, Tricia and Jake Pickell were being entertained in the galley of the SERENITY.

The initial entrance had been one of suspicion. Both Tricia and Pickell had cautiously emerged with their guns loaded – but holstered, and were greeted by several people.

Tricia kept her emotions in check as he saw her hosts. Various styles of dress and most carried weapons – though they were holstered as well. One of the humans – a male – had stepped forward.

"I am Mal Reynolds, Captain of the freighter SERENITY. Welcome aboard", he said slowly in his funnily accented Caprican.

"Captain Tricia Cain of the Battlestar PEGASUS", Tricia replied, "This is my RSO, Ensign Jake Pickell".

"Before I introduce my crew to you", Mal said next, "I want to thank you for destroying them Reavers. Those folk have a nasty habit of raping, killing, and pillaging – not necessarily in that order. We all owe you a debt of gratitude".

"When we saw what that vessel had on its hull, we thought that they were not exactly good guys", Tricia dryly replied.

With that, Mal offered his hand. Tricia walked up and shook it. After that, introductions rapidly followed.

A short while later, up in the galley, Tricia was telling the SERENITY crew a little about their history – not divulging too much – and about the recent battle that made them appear in this area of space".

"Faster-Than-Light drive", Simon Tam whistled, "Out technicians had proved that to be an impossibility".

"It seems faster than light to an observer", Tricia replied, "but what it actually does is 'fold' space, bringing the departure and destination points together. It makes for shortened trips in interstellar space, that's for sure".

At that moment, Inara walked in with a tray of glasses. Mal whistled as he saw that Inara had dug into her private stock of liquor and had also used her best glasses.

"I thought that a first contact and life saving would deserve a special toast", she said as she placed the tray on the galley table.

As all of them picked up the glasses, Zoe said, "I propose a toast to our rescuers, and to new friends".

With a "hear-hear", all took a swig of the liquor – which was an apple brandy.

"Good stuff!", Pickell remarked. As he ran the not-so-secret still on the PEGASUS, he was a connoisseur of alcohol, "Maybe we can do a trade of sorts".

"Later, Handles", Tricia admonished with a smile, "besides, the stuff your still puts out at times is strong enough to strip paint".

"'Handles'?" Jayne asked.

"It's his call-sign for communications", Tricia explained, "My call-sign is Sheba".

"The Queen of Sheba. Legend from Earth-That-Was", Simon remarked, "Just like the name of your battlestar: PEGASUS, the mythical winged horse. More legend from Earth-That-Was".

"I wanted to ask you about that", Tricia said, "Why do you refer to Earth as 'Earth-That-Was?'"

"Earth was humanity's birth-world", Simon explained, "but with population explosion and technology advances causing the stripping of resources, Earth could no longer sustain life, so humanity went to the stars, terra-forming planets and proto-forming stars in these star systems. Earth-That-Was is now uninhabited- and uninhabitable".

"The thing though", Inara noticed, "Is that you can speak our language – albeit interestingly accented. How is that?"

"Our history stated that Humanity actually originated from a planet called Kobol. It too was getting overpopulated. So the thirteen tribes on Kobol left for new worlds. Twelve of them formed the Colonies in a triple-star system, but the thirteenth went missing. There was – according to legend - a ship from the thirteenth colony that had been found by a Kobolian vessel. It told of the Thirteenth Tribe finding a planet called Earth", Tricia explained.

The SERENITY crew was amazed at what Tricia had said. If what this woman said was true, then Earth did not evolve humanity after all. Mal turned to River.

"She is speaking the truth", River said. Tricia looked at her wonderingly.

"You can read minds?" Tricia asked. Simon replied for her:

"Her brain had been surgically butchered by agencies of the Core Worlds government", he said, "turning her into a perfect fighting weapon, but also with pre-cognitive and ESP abilities".

Tricia did not like the sound of that. Humans performing mind control? That had been banned eons ago by the Colonials!

"What is this government?" Tricia asked next.

Mal and Zoe spent the next thirty minutes talking about the Parliament that controlled the Alliance and of the Civil War of ten years ago that they had been a part of. Inara added some information about the affairs of the worlds of the alliance, and of the Rim worlds. Then Mal told them about Miranda.

"This information is very important to my Commander", Tricia said at last, "and I will have to get back to the PEGASUS to brief him".

"Tell your commander that elements in the Parliament are not going to be entirely trustworthy", Mal warned, "Your FTL alone will be something that they will want to covet".

"I've got an idea", Inara said, "Perhaps one or two of us can go with Captain Cain – or is it Sheba?" she asked with a smile, "so that way, there will be an emissary of sorts. This way, when the PEGASUS decides to make its move, then I can be there to help clear up any misconceptions that the Alliance's emissary may convey".

Just then, Jayne pulled out his laser sidearm and shot at a cockroach on the far wall. Tricia was less startled by the cockroach dying as to the weapon. An energy beam weapon of some type…

"Jayne!", Mal warned, "Stop showing off!" Jayne scowled, but holstered his sidearm.

"Inara", Mal said next, "Are you sure about this? You're not sure at all of where you'll be going to".

"River attests to Captain Cain's truthfulness, they saved our lives. The least we can do is to give them information that might prevent misconceptions – or outright lies - that any Alliance emissary may do".

Mal looked at Zoe, who reluctantly nodded. Kaylee nodded as well.

"All right", Mal acquiesced, "but I'd like to make my acquaintance of your commander too. Can you squeeze me in as well?"

Tricia nodded.

"Zoe", Mal said next, "Take the SERENITY to Miranda. Wait there until Inara and I return".

"Yes, Sir", Zoe said.

"Well", Mal said to Tricia as he stood, "Let's not keep your Commander waiting".

**IAV DORTMUNDER – WHITE SUN SYSTEM **

Commandant Ruger received the report from his Communications Officer and read it with a sigh of relief. The IAV SUMTER was heading at flank speed to rendezvous with him. On board were a diplomat and an operative. Also, the IAV DOMINION was aborting its patrol run to also effect rendezvous, though it wouldn't get to his location for two days.

"As missiles seemed to be ineffective against these stranger's technology, I hope that the pulse weapons of the SUMTER will have a better result", Ruger said to his XO.

Vice-Commandant Rayker nodded, then said, "I hope parliament knows what they are doing. This operative on board the SUMTER is a concern. Especially as Admiral Hendrix has informed us that he will be in overall command of this mission".

"Admiral Hendrix told me that the President and his cabinet have the full backing of Parliament, and that while diplomacy will have a high priority, Defense is still number one", Ruger replied, "So we wait until one – or the other – shows up".

**IAV SUMTER – EN ROUTE TO IAV DORTMUNDER**

In the VIP cabin aboard the SUMTER, both the diplomat and the operative were quietly talking.

"I'd feel better – in all honesty – if I didn't have you with me", Ambassador Len Barrett said to the other individual.

Like all other operatives, this one did not offer a name. Operatives were people above and beyond the establishment. As they frequently did the dirty work of the Alliance in order to ensure its secrets, they were not to be trifled with. The fact that an operative was here showed in a very clear way that Parliament was concerned about an unknown well-armed group intruding into their space…

"Don't concern yourself, Ambassador", the Operative replied, "You do your job. I'm just here to observe and to report to the President. If these unknowns are persons we can co-opt, who knows what benefits we can gain. But if these turn out to be hostile, then – and only then – will I assume command".

Barrett nodded. While diplomacy was his forte, diplomacy worked better with a 'big stick' backing it up, as an ancestral politician back on Earth-That-Was once quoted…


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**VICINITY OF BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – RIM WORLDS SECTOR**

Mal looked at the impressive leviathan that was the Battlestar PEGASUS as the raptor jumped back to its start point. Inara looked very impressed at the size and sleek beauty of the battlestar, but it was Mal who made the first statement of the two:

"Looks like your ship has been in a number of scrapes", he said, commenting on the repaired exterior battle damage. Both he and Inara were sitting up in the cockpit of the raptor, so they were both getting a very good view of the battlestar.

"Well, since the Cylons destroyed our home planets, we've been rather short of dry docks, Captain Reynolds", Tricia replied, "but don't let the exterior fool you: we're fully operational, with a strike wing of four squadrons, and the PEGASUS herself carries an impressive array of defensive and offensive weaponry".

"We could have used the PEGASUS in the last war", Mal stated as they closed in on the PEGASUS' port landing bay.

Tricia had already communicated with Core Command, informing them of their guests. Commander Cain had expressed 'an urgent desire' to meet her guests, and would be waiting in the debriefing room after she landed.

"Commander Cain", Inara commented, "Any relation, Captain?" she asked Tricia.

"My father", Tricia replied.

Mal looked forward to seeing more of the PEGASUS up close… as well as Tricia's father.

"What are those?" Inara asked, seeing two tri-winged spacecraft take formation up beside the raptor for its final approach to the landing bay.

"Those are Mark 7 Vipers", Tricia replied, "Our strike wing's first line fighter".

Mal looked at the sleek viper out the side of the cockpit window with a professional eye. He could see that it was both suited for space and atmospheric travel, and seemed to be well-armed, not to mention well-powered. Mal thought that these fighters would give the pursuit ships of the Alliance Navy a very good run for their money.

"Core Command to Raptor Recon One", a voice over the wireless announced, "You're clear to land on port bay five. Please convey your passengers to the Silver Spar briefing room as soon as you alight".

After acknowledging the signal, Tricia maneuvered the raptor into its approach vector for landing. Mal and Inara just watched quietly as the maw of the landing bay got larger and larger at their approach…

**SILVER SPAR BRIEFING ROOM – FOUR HOURS LATER**

Garris Cain sat back in his chair, his mind racing from the information that both Mal and Inara had given them. A planetary setup not dissimilar to how the Twelve colonies were governed, but the recent Civil War that Mal had mentioned, plus this information pertaining to intrusive brain surgery of a healthy teen-aged girl showed a sinister side to things.

"Captain Reynolds", Cain said at last, "I thank you for your briefing. You and your companion" – Inara smiled at Cain's use of that word – "have given me a lot of food for thought".

"It seemed proper to let you know a few things before making contact with the Alliance, Commander Cain", Mel replied.

"Commander", Inara said next, "are you planning to make contact?"

"I don't see how it can be avoided", Cain answered, "The GALACTICA's goal is here, so it makes sense to wait for them, but not knowing how far we actually jumped, I can't guarantee that the Cylons won't someday find your worlds. Your brief indicated a highly digitized computerized society" he said, holding up a newspaper showing flowing text that Mal gave him, "and the Cylons can close down such a society pretty effectively. Also, from what one of our scouts had reported as to the disposition of one of the Alliance warships: the DORTMUNDER, they may not be able to militarily face a Cylon attack".

"I know about the DORTMUNDER", Mal answered, "She is one of the older capital vessels of the Alliance Navy. She only carries missiles and a squadron of pursuit ships for armament. Ample for maintaining Alliance control out here in the black. However, other – newer capital ships of the Alliance Navy - have pulse weaponry and laser based weaponry.

Cain and Tolen looked at each other. Given that the Cylons could circumvent such weapons – which were not unknown to the Colonials – development of them had been dropped in favor of projectile weapons such as torpedoes and missiles, which were a lot harder to remotely circumvent. How such weapons would fare against the PEGASUS though was an open question…

"The DORTMUNDER is awaiting an emissary from us in the White Sun System – Thanks for the map as well as this newspaper, by the way", Cain said, "so the question would be whether to send a scout vessel, or the PEGASUS herself".

"I would suggest the PEGASUS, Commander", Inara answered, surprising Mal, "If the DORTMUNDER is indeed getting reinforced – as is likely – then a scout vessel like a raptor is more likely to make an easier target for the advanced weapons Mal alluded to. With an impressive ship like your battlestar, plus your FTL drive to quickly get out of trouble, they are far less likely to try anything overt".

"I'll take what you have both said under advisement", Cain stated, "and I will ensure that you are both returned to Miranda okay, once the initial contact is done with. We owe you both some hospitality for what you have said here, and if we do get to speaking with someone from the Alliance government, I'd like you to listen in and get your opinions on what they say".

Turning to Tricia, Cain said, "Please convey our guests to the Officers Club, and find them berths".

Nodding, Tricia gestured to both Mal and Inara to follow her. As they left, Cain turned to Tolen.

"What do you think, Geoff?" Cain asked.

"Captain Reynolds and this Miss Inara have given us a lot of information, but remember that they are showing us their perspective on the Alliance. The fact that Reynolds fought against them in a civil war speaks to a definite bias against a central government".

"Don't forget that some of the Colonies once had the same sentiments to decentralization as well, Geoff", Cain reminded his X.O., "and even though their stories about intrusive brain surgeries and operatives makes me wonder about the Alliance, we mustn't forget that there were secret projects that the Colonial Government and Fleet did that the public would not have cared for".

"You know, Garris", Tolen said, "The Alliance and the Colonies almost sound like twins. The only thing that worries me therefore is how we would fit in to the Alliance. Our F-T-L technology is a definite asset, but what would become of all of us afterwards?"

"Before I can answer that question, we'd better see about how the follow-up contact with the DORTMUNDER goes", Garris replied, "Also, the fact that the PEGASUS needs not just fuel, but a total refit, plus our crew deserves the chance to live normal lives. The Alliance may be able to provide that".

"And if the Cylons come?" Tolen asked.

"Then hopefully, our technology and military know-how will be made proper use of by the Alliance", Cain answered, "Oh, and by the way, what is being done about ferreting out this saboteur?"

"We are concentrating on the manifests of the transferees from the HYPERION fleet", Tolen replied, "after all, the sabotage didn't start until after the personnel transfers were made".

"None of the images of the transferees matched the images of what Admiral Tillman said were the Cylon humanoids", Cain pointed out.

"KNOWN Cylon humanoids", Tolen corrected, "besides, cosmetic surgery to disguise appearances in hardly unknown".

"Point taken. In any case, I want this person found. If this saboteur isn't found, it could make our dealings with the Alliance difficult at best", Cain stated.

Nodding, Tolen stood. Cain then picked up his commlink and called Major Syke, who was in his office conferring with Lieutenant Vansen.

"CAG, Issue the recall to our CAP. I'm going to be taking the PEGASUS to the rendezvous", Cain ordered.

"Very well, Commander", Syke replied.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – MAIN GALLEY**

The Cylon agent had indeed undergone cosmetic surgery to disguise it's features. It had realized that the PEGASUS had been thrown far away in its FTL jump, so if it was discovered and executed, there would not be a resurrection ship nearby for it to regenerate.

With the engineering division being placed on a stronger security watch, repeating the earlier sabotage was no longer an option. Other strategic areas of the PEGASUS were also under increased scrutiny.

Still, the news that there was a strong possibility of the PEGASUS stumbling onto the Thirteenth Colony as a result meant that there were possibilities for it to acquire information… and possibly throw a spanner or two into the works. It would be a waiting game for now, but as its sabotage had been discovered, it also knew that it was being hunted by the humans on board. Would it be able to stay hidden for long enough?

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – OFFICER'S CLUB**

After guiding them through various parts of the PEGASUS – Mal was impressed with how clean and efficient the interior of the battlestar was – Tricia had guided them into the large furnished lounge that was the Officers Club.

Inara had noticed that the crew were very professional in attitude and demeanor, and silently nodded at how Tricia's father was running a tight ship. For Mal, it reminded him somewhat of the last time he had been on board an Alliance capital ship. Only the uniforms were different. That, plus the fact that he was being treated as a guest instead of a prisoner…

Now an hour later, Mal and Inara were sitting at a table beside a large viewport looking out into space. Both were enjoying drinking a sparkling alcoholic beverage and nibbling on appetizers – which made a welcome change from protein bars. Tricia and Pickell were sitting with them, talking a little bit more about the Cylons and what had happened to the colonies.

"Machines turning against their creators", Mal commented with a shudder, "It's a good thing that we don't have automatons like that in the Alliance".

For her part, Inara was getting a number of greetings from off-duty male crewmembers in the club. Inara was in her prime, smiling and being polite. Tricia smiled and shook her head.

"You are very much becoming the center of attention, Inara", Tricia playfully commented, "It's not often that we get such beautiful guests on board the PEGASUS".

"Companions generally are always the center of attention, Tricia", Inara replied. Both of the women had gotten on first-name-terms.

Just then, Gene Syke and Glen Sanders walked in.

"Inara, Mal", Tricia said, "I'd like to introduce Major Gene Syke, the CAG of the PEGASUS, and Major Glen Sanders of CIC".

"What is a CAG?" Mal asked as he shook hands with Syke.

"It means, Commander, Air Group", Syke replied, "I am the officer in charge of the Strike Wing on board the PEGASUS".

Inara stood to shake hands with Glen. Mal noticed that Inara's expression had changed some. It was not the professional demeanor of a companion; this was showing some genuine warmth!

"And what would CIC refer to, Major Sanders?" Inara asked in her very pleasant voice.

"It-it-it is the Combat Information Center, Miss", Sanders stuttered out.

"Major Sanders – otherwise known as 'Comms' - is the third most senior officer on the PEGASUS", Syke explained, quietly amused at seeing Glen blush, "Only Commander Cain, and the X.O. are senior".

"Care to join us?" Inara asked. Sanders shook his head.

"We are here to let you know that Commander Cain has decided to take the PEGASUS to the rendezvous with the DORTMUNDER", Sanders said, regaining some of his composure, "and that we'll need you both to accompany me to CIC while the PEGASUS is on alert".

"Sheba", Syke said next, "I'll need you to man your viper. The commander wants at least two squadrons deployed after the rendezvous, and I'd like to have you out there leading one of them".

"When is the jump going to be made, Bojay?" Tricia asked.

"As soon as the last CAP lands, all vipers will be refueled, armed, and placed in the launch tubes. As soon as I let the Commander know that has been done, then he'll put the PEGASUS to Condition One, then we'll make the jump".

"Bojay?" Mal asked, "Let me guess: your call-sign?" Syke nodded.

"If both of you will follow me", Sanders said to both Mal and Inara, "We'll get you up to CIC".

At that, both Mal and Inara stood. Inara and Glen looked at each other silently for a few seconds, then – with Sanders leading, the three of them headed out of the Officer's Club.

Tricia followed Syke out of the club and down to the landing bay.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Glen Sanders would blush at the sight of another woman", Gene joked as they walked.

"Inara's job: companion. A courtesan, prostitute, and diplomat all rolled into one", Tricia replied, "kind of like the Socialators of Geminon", Tricia replied, "yet the look she gave Comms was more than just professional…"

**IAV DORTMUNDER – WHITE SUN SYSTEM, ONE HOUR LATER.**

Commandant Ruger was trying hard not to pace the bridge back and forth. Doing so would show the bridge crew that he was tense and worried, and that was not the impression that a commander of a capital ship would want to convey. The fact that the SUMTER had effected rendezvous an hour previously had only slightly militated things. It would have been better if the DOMINION had been here as well, but that vessel was still a day and a half away…

"I hope we're not going to be waiting in vain" Vice-Commandant Rayker opined quietly, "this could be a ruse to divert us from an attack on one or more of our worlds".

"I'm well aware of that, Rayker!" Ruger hissed back, "but the rest of the fleet is being deployed to meet that possibility. Besides, the decision to retire is out of my hands", he added, gesturing to the viewport where the bulk of the SUMTER could be seen.

Just then, the viewports lit up with a bright flash. Ruger blinked, and then he saw what wasn't there a moment before…

"My God", Ruger said as he looked at the visage of the Battlestar PEGASUS, "Will you look at that?"


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**IAV SUMTER – BRIDGE**

Ambassador Barrett and the Operative looked out of the bridge viewport at the leviathan that was the Battlestar PEGASUS. Beside them was the SUMTER's captain, Commandant Metjie.

"I recommend that we bring the SUMTER and the DORTMUNDER on a heightened state of alert", Metjie suggested to the operative, "that is unmistakably a warship and it looks like it can take a lot of punishment".

The operative looked at Metjie, and then looked at Barrett, who shook his head.

"I'm not seeing any overt moves, and I don't want to get into a shooting war just yet", Barrett commented, "Besides, the DOMINION is on its way. Until she gets here, let's not do anything that might spark a battle… particularly one we could very well lose".

The operative considered. True, the SUMTER and the DORTMUNDER outnumbered the unknown vessel – the battlestar – by two to one, but given the report from the DORTMUNDER's previous encounter, it would be unwise to test the capabilities of the newcomer.

"Make no change to the current status of the SUMTER, and inform the DORTMUNDER likewise", the operative ordered.

"Shall I inform the DOMINION of the newcomer?" Metjie asked next. The operative shook his head.

"The DOMINION is already on its way. Telling them won't bring them here any faster", the operative replied. He then turned to face Barrett.

"Well, Ambassador", the operative said, "The ball is now in your court".

Nodding Barrett turned to Metjie.

"Hail them. I want to speak to that ship's commander", Barrett said.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER.**

"Commander", Sanders reported from his station, "we are being hailed. They want to talk to the commander".

"Before I respond, is there anything else showing up on the Dradis console?" Cain replied

"Nothing but those two large ships. One – judging from Hondo's report – is the DORTMUNDER", Sanders answered.

"The other one is the IAV SUMTER", Mal supplied, "That one is a newer vessel of the Alliance Navy. Packs not only missiles, but a large pulse battery and close-in laser defenses".

"Commander", Lieutenant Annan called from Core Command, "Silver Spar Alternate reports squadrons ready to launch".

"Hold launch until I give the order", Cain ordered, "I don't want to come across belligerent".

"Everything else on the PEGASUS buttoned up?" Cain asked Tolen.

"We're at Condition One, and Fire Control has the SUMTER locked in with the rail gun", Tolen replied.

Nodding, Cain walked over to the Communications console, and said to Sanders, "Punch me in".

Sanders pressed a relay switch. Cain started to slowly speak into the mike.

"This is Commander Garris Cain of the Colonial Fleet Battlestar PEGASUS. Who am I communicating with?"

**IAV SUMTER**

The Ambassador's eyebrows raised some at Cain's accent, but he could easily understand him. He keyed his mike.

"I am Ambassador Len Barrett of the Alliance Diplomatic Department. I bid you welcome to the White Sun System, Commander", he said.

Cain's voice came back, "Thank you, Ambassador. I wish to inform you that while the PEGASUS is a warship, and is fully capable of defending herself, I do not wish to initiate hostilities. If you make no hostile moves, we will not".

Barrett nodded. He replied, "I understand your position, Commander, but please understand ours. You are an unknown warship that has suddenly appeared in Alliance space. You have already dispatched several probes to parts of our space for reasons unknown, so forgive us if we are not too ready to trust you just yet".

"In your shoes, I'd think the same", Cain replied, "I think we have a lot to talk about so that we can eliminate some of our suspicions. Don't you agree?"

"I certainly do, Commander", Barrett replied, "so what do you suggest?"

"Perhaps you and a representative of your navy can come over to the PEGASUS", Cain suggested.

"Given your ship's ability to appear and disappear instantly, the suspicion lingers that you might want to take a hostage or two, Commander", Barrett answered.

"Then I am more than willing to come over to your ship", Cain replied, being careful not to use the name of the SUMTER.

"You are willing to take the risk, Commander?" Barrett asked.

"Given that my vessel could easily take yours out, plus our FTL makes our ability to cut your line of retreat off rather easy, I don't think I would be risking all that much, Ambassador", Cain replied, "but it is also a trust-building measure".

"Stand by, Commander", Barrett said. He then turned to face the operative and Commandant Metjie.

"What do you think?" Barrett asked.

"That warship has technologies we can certainly use", the operative mused, "and it makes sense to be friendly, given the potential payoff. I say yes".

"We can certainly host any emissaries that the PEGASUS would send", Metjie confirmed, "Besides, if we can get talking for long enough, that will allow time for the DOMINION to get here".

Barrett nodded, then keyed his mike.

"I, and the commander of the IAV SUMTER formally extend an invitation to you, and any persons who wish to accompany you, to visit our ship. We have adequate conferencing facilities on board".

"Very well, SUMTER", Cain replied, "If you'll have a craft deploy to meet my ship half way, then you can escort me in. I will have a couple of my fighters as an escort as well".

"That is fine, Commander", Barrett replied, "Do you use hours and minutes as time?"

"Yes, we do", Cain replied. He had looked over at Mal Reynolds, who held up a timepiece.

"Then shall we say one hour from now, Commander?" Barrett suggested.

"That will do nicely", Cain replied.

"See you then, Commander. This is the IAV SUMTER signing off", Barrett concluded.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"What do you think?" Cain asked.

"You going over there could give them a powerful hostage", Tolen pointed out, "That's pretty risky".

"I'm not indispensable, Colonel" Cain replied, "And if they do take me as a hostage, use the PEGASUS to convince them otherwise".

"It puts a lot of cards in their hands though", Sanders replied, "Perhaps you should send over another officer".

"I think I need to be the one to go", Cain answered, "but I won't be going alone. Lieutenant Annan!"

"Yes Commander?" Annan replied.

"You've got diplomatic skills, have you not?" he asked. Annan nodded.

"Then I'd like you to come with me", Cain said.

"I've got a suggestion", Mal suddenly said, "If you have a couple of uniforms to spare, Inara and I could wear them, and we could go as your bodyguards".

"Your accent would give you away", Tolen pointed out.

"Bodyguards don't speak, and we'll be there to correct any lies and distortions that that Alliance ambassador might try and pull", Mal replied.

"Do you have any anti-eavesdropping equipment?" Inara asked Sanders.

"Yes, we do", Sanders replied.

"Then if that is taken along with us, that will stop them from listening in on any of their listening devices", Inara responded.

Cain thought about that, then nodded. He turned to Tolen.

"Get our two guests into combat uniform and have them meet me down in the port landing bay", he said to Tolen, "Comms", he said to Sanders next, "Get a raptor ready and a crew to fly it. We'll use that to ferry us over to the SUMTER".

"Yes, Commander", Sanders replied.

"Oh, and have two vipers launch out at the same time as our escort. Use the type II vipers, not the type VII", Cain added.

"Why is that, if you don't mind my asking?" Tolen asked.

"I want to keep our most advanced stuff out of their sight for a while", Cain answered, "The type II's should still be impressive enough", and then Cain added, "Now, let's get moving. Geoff, take good care of the PEGASUS While I'm gone".

With that, Cain and Annan left CIC to get ready. Tolen gestured to Sanders to take Mal and Inara to the Quartermaster for a quick fitting-out.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS - PORT BAY LAUNCH TUBES EIGHT AND NINE (ONE HOUR LATER)**

"How come I drew this duty, Sheba?" Tom Sanders asked over the commlink.

"Luck of the draw, I suppose, Blister", Tricia obliquely answered from her viper.

Actually, Ice Truly had wanted to fly the other viper, but as Syke had pointed out to Truly that he could not be risked, Truly had assigned Sanders instead.

"His flying impressed me in the last two battles", Truly had replied when asked why Tom Sanders was his choice.

As Truly was not a figure easily impressed by anybody, such a statement from him was tantamount to high praise, so Tricia accepted his recommendation.

"These old type II's are nice birds to fly", Tom Sanders commented, "but I prefer the type VII any day".

"So long as you can fly these old buckets", Tricia replied, "That will do very nicely".

Just then, Core Command announced, "Actual's raptor has just departed the bay".

"Thank you, Core Command", Tricia replied, She then tuned her wireless to speak to the Shooter (launch officer) for her tube, and Tom Sanders'…

"Viper Escort ready to launch", Tricia announced. At that, both Tricia and Tom Sanders throttled up their viper's engines.

"Opening up outer door", the shooter announced, "catapult activating in three, two, one…. Launch!"

With the shooter pressing the LAUNCH COMMITT switch, both vipers sped down their respective launch tubes and were flung out into space.

**RAPTOR "TWO JASONS" – EN ROUTE TO RENDEZVOUS**

"Our escort is forming up on our port and starboard sides, Commander", Gorde reported to Cain.

"Thanks, Newguy", Cain replied, "Who are they, by the way?"

"Uh, Sheba and Blister", Gorde answered after checking their IFF signals.

Cain grimaced. He didn't like his daughter nursemaiding him, but as he had resolved to let the strike wing run without interference from him, he let it be. He only hoped that his daughter would not be in any worse danger than he once they alit on the SUMTER…

Looking out the cockpit window, he could see that a ship – similar in size to a raptor, but rather uglier – had left the SUMTER and were heading on an intercept course. Cain noticed that it didn't have an escort. Another trust-building measure by the Ambassador, he supposed…

Behind Cain, sitting beside RSO Dundee, were Ginnie Annan, and both Mal and Inara. Both of them were in the uniform of PEGASUS marines, complete with helmets with the tinted visors down, and carrying colonial-issue sidearms.

"Since you told us you had been taken on board Alliance warships before, it's best to keep the visors down so that you don't get recognized", Annan had explained.

Mal nodded. He fingered the rifle he had been issued with idly. After a very quick 'course' as to how the weapon worked, he felt comfortable with it, but hoped that he would not have to use it. He looked over at Inara.

"You know, Inara", Mal joked, "the uniform completely disguises your features. Noone would mistake you for a companion in that garb".

"Let's hope it remains that way", Inara answered. She hoped Cain knew what he was doing.

Just then, the wireless came to life.

"PEGASUS shuttle", the voice on the wireless said, "This is your escort from the SUMTER. Please form up and follow me".

Gorde looked at Cain, who nodded.

"Forming up on you now, Escort", Gorde communicated back.

Cain sat back as his ship – and the two type II vipers – were being led into the ugly – but imposing – bulk of the IAV SUMTER…

**IAV SUMTER – BRIDGE – FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Docking Officer reports that the shuttle and their escorting fighters have alit in bay three", one of the bridge officers reported to Metjie, "The bay is pressurizing now".

"Get me a count on the number of people", Metjie ordered.

A couple of minutes later, the officer reported, "Four individuals have emerged from the shuttle. Two men and two women. One of each are wearing some kind of security uniform and are carrying weapons. Two people are remaining in the shuttle, and the two fighters are also staying manned".

"Is the Ambassador there to greet them?" Metjie asked.

"He's arriving now, along with our other guest", was the reply.

Metjie nodded and sat back, looking out at the PEGASUS. What transpired next would either be a boon… or a disaster to all concerned, he thought…


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

**IAV SUMTER – LANDING BAY ONE**

Cain and Annan looked outside the raptor's hatch viewport as the landing bay repressurized. After Gorde had announced that his sensors indicated the re-pressurization had completed, Cain noticed that an interior hatch had opened.

"Looks like they are not entirely trusting of us", Annan remarked as about twenty armed troops – Cain guessed them to be marines given their style of dress – marched into the landing bay.

"Those troops are holding themselves in check though", Mal remarked, "They've formed a two-row cordon. Otherwise, they would have fanned out and surrounded this ship".

Cain nodded his understanding, but was also cynical enough to think that given that _they_ were in _their_ ship, they wouldn't have to do so: there would be other means to ensure control…

Just then, Cain noticed two persons walking between the cordon. Cain gestured to Mal and Inara to look at them.

"The one on the left is in diplomatic uniform", Inara noted, "quite high-ranking too, judging from his insignia".

"The one on the right is whom I'd be more worried about", Mel stated, "That person's plain dress style, plus his mean demeanor is something I've seen on only one other person".

Inara understood. "An operative, you think?" she asked. Mal nodded.

Cain and Annan knew what Mal was talking about. At their earlier brief on the PEGASUS, Mal had mentioned to Cain these shadowy people who were above and beyond the system, doing the dirty work for the Alliance to assure their control over the system.

"The fact that this is a high-ranking person, plus an operative means that the Alliance is taking our presence seriously", Annan deduced.

"With a warship like yours, plus the fighters, they'd be stupid if they didn't take you seriously", Mal answered.

From their fighters, Both Tricia and Tom 'Blister' Sanders were looking at the persons entering the landing bay. She noticed that they did not seem to be taking much notice of the two vipers parked behind the raptor. Was this genuine unconcern, or some kind of bluff?

In the raptor, Cain and Annan stood. Both adjusted their uniforms and picked up their briefcases. Cain's contained some papers, while Annan's contained the anti-eavesdropping device. Mel and Inara also stood.

"You two sure you can act military?" Cain asked as Mel and Inara put down their visors to disguise their faces. Both nodded.

"Keep your weapons at the port arms position like we showed you, and stay behind us. Keep in step, and don't say a word", Cain reminded them. Mal and Inara gave him a thumbs-up.

"Then let's greet our hosts", Cain announced. Nodding to Dundee, Dundee opened the hatch.

First Cain, then Annan stepped out onto the bay deck, followed by Mal and Inara. Cain noted that the artificial gravity seemed a little less than on the PEGASUS, but the air seemed okay. At his gesture, the party walked forward.

"You are Commander Cain?" the diplomat – Barrett – asked as they walked up to him.

"Commander Garris Cain, Commanding Officer of the Colonial Fleet Battlestar PEGASUS, BSG-89", he formally replied, "this is my aide, Lieutenant Annan".

"I am Ambassador Len Barrett, representing the Parliament of the Alliance of Planets. Welcome on board the IAV SUMTER", Barrett replied, offering his hand to Cain, who took it and shook it.

Barrett then offered his hand to Annan. Annan shook his hand in response.

"Would the gentleman beside you be your aide?" Cain asked, gesturing to the operative.

"I am both the Ambassador's aide, and a representative of the President of the Alliance Cabinet", the operative replied smoothly.

"Were you expecting trouble?" Cain asked next, gesturing to the two rows of marines.

"Protocol, actually", Barrett answered instantly, "a person of my rank has to have twenty marines as an escort and honor guard at formal occasions. This rates as a formal occasion. Were you expecting trouble, Commander?" Barrett asked next, gesturing to Mal and Inara.

"Protocol as well, Ambassador", Cain replied, "These two, plus my escorting fighters", he added, gesturing to the two vipers on deck.

Both Barrett and the operative looked over at Sheba's and Blister's vipers. Sheba had made sure that the two vipers had been cleaned up as best as possible to give a suitable impression. Judging from the looks that the two hosts gave, Sheba had judged correctly.

"Well, There's a conference room nearby where we can more properly talk and make our acquaintances, Commander", Barrett said next, "so please follow us".

"Before I do, Ambassador", Can replied, "My guard is required to stay with myself and Lieutenant Annan. Do you have any problem with that?"

Barrett plainly did not like the sound of that, but then the operative stepped in.

"If you allow us two guards to be with us at the conference, then there would be no problem", he said.

Cain looked at Annan, then nodded.

"Oh, and your escort pilots and shuttle crew are free to leave their ships was well", the operative added.

"They'll stand by their ships for the time being", Cain said, "Standard procedure".

With a gesture from the operative, eighteen of the twenty Alliance marines marched off the deck. Only two remained with the Ambassador and Operative.

"Let's go, shall we?" the Ambassador asked rhetorically.

With the two Alliance Marines leading the way, followed by Ambassador Barrett, the operative, Cain and Annan – with Mal and Inara bringing up the rear – the party left the landing bay. Watching from the raptor's cockpit, Gorde made sure that the landing gear grip-locks were engaged, then he called out to Dundee.

"Snoopy, Contact Home Plate Alternate and let them know that Commander Cain has made contact with the Ambassador and we are standing by", he ordered.

Nodding, Dundee keyed his wireless and made the report. Sheba and Blister listened in on the conversation.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"Thanks for the report, Newguy", Tolen acknowledged, "Report in every hour, and also when the Commander returns".

"Will do", Gorde replied, "Raptor Two out".

Tolen then turned to the weapons officer, Captain Lycoming.

"Is the rail gun primed and ready?", Tolen asked. Lycoming nodded in confirmation.

"Keep the rail gun trained on the DORTMUNDER", Tolen ordered, "so if the people on the SUMTER try anything 'unwise' with the Commander, perhaps the sight of the DORTMUNDER getting destroyed will make them reconsider…"

**IAV SUMTER – CONFERENCE ROOM – THREE HOURS LATER**

"I must say, that is a remarkable story, Commander", Barrett answered at long last, "For you to escape destruction, yet still able to fight speaks volumes for you, and your battlestar".

Cain had decided to tell the entire story of the Colonies, and of the Cylon war that had devastated them. He had thought about some kind of deception, but thought that this time, the truth would be a better thing to say.

"From what you have said", the ambassador said next, "there are still other surviving elements of your Colonies, and fleet somewhere out in space. Do you think that any of them, or perhaps these Cylons, could suddenly show up here in Alliance space as you have?"

"Impossible to say, given the uncontrolled F-T-L jump that we made that got us into this area of space", Cain replied, "but the possibility does exist, particularly as the GALACTICA is looking for Earth".

"They won't find much there", the Operative replied, "When Earth-that-was was finally depopulated, there was almost total environmental collapse. True, it has been many generations since the great migration to the planets of the Alliance, but geologically speaking, Earth-that-was won't have had much of a recovery".

"Well, we could always send a patrol or remote probe to keep tabs on Earth", Cain suggested, "but that is not of immediate concern to me at the moment. My concern is where we could fit in your society".

Barrett leaned back, and then said carefully, "I'll be honest with you, Commander. Your FTL drive technology alone is something we could certainly use. That, plus your knowledge of the Cylons could help us prepare the Alliance Navy for the possibility of a Cylon attack, but the thing that troubles me is the potential for cultural shock".

"In what way?" Cain asked.

"We have always been taught to believe that Man had originated from Earth. Your story indicates that it was instead colonized by one of your tribes of Kobol, and given the similarity of a lot of historical data you've provided to our history, it seems to bear things out on your side quite convincingly. But given that a lot of wars have been fought over religion in Earth-That-Was' past, plus the possibility that your presence here may also bring Cylons to do to us what they did to your home worlds, that could make things rather difficult, to say the least", Barrett replied.

"Is your government a theocracy?" Annan asked.

"No, it's strictly secular", Barrett replied, "but religious faith still guides a lot of people. I've not even begun to ask about your religious beliefs, but religious clashes have been a hallmark of Earth-That-Was' history and that's something we have to consider, particularly if the view of Creation as established in our religious texts is suddenly thrown out the window".

"I also need to point out, Commander", the operative added in an ominous undertone, "that your ship - while impressive - is only one. You could probably do a lot of damage with the PEGASUS, but given the fact you don't know where your other fleet assets are, plus your fuel and food stocks are not infinite means that we could wait you out. I'm not being threatening", the operative hastily added, "but I think that we all need to be aware of just what is at stake – for both of us".

"So what do you suggest?" Cain replied, impressed with the operative's grasp of the overall strategic situation. True, that unplanned jump had expended a lot of fuel, and while the PEGASUS could – for a while at least – steal food from various worlds, the fact was that tyllium fuel could not be detected on either the SUMTER or the DORTMUNDER and tyllium was the only fuel that both the sub-light drive and F-T-L drive on the PEGASUS could use. As the PEGASUS' ability to refine raw tyllium was rather limited, what the operative had said was very cogent...

"We could have the PEGASUS go to one of our outer planets where we have a military base, but no substantial civilian presence. In return for giving you and your ship asylum here in the Alliance, we can (a) look over your battlestar and its materiel so that we can use your knowledge to build up our fleet to meet the Cylon threat, and (b) offer your people – if not a planet to settle on – work in our military. By your helping to protect us with your military technology, we can provide you a world to live on, and a chance for your crew to lead normal lives in our society".

"Also", Barrett added, "this will give us time to come up with a plan to eventually condition the Alliance population to your presence. By 'softening' the blow of a sudden announcement, and thus hopefully avoiding a crisis or conflict, that will make the integration of your people into our society a seamless and smooth process".

Cain thought for a few minutes, then said, "Could you excuse us for a few moments?", I'd like to confer with Lieutenant Annan".

"No problem, Commander", Barrett replied, standing. The operative followed suit.

"When you've finished chatting, just press that button on the wall", the operative said, indicating a panel.

As the Ambassador, operative, and the two Alliance Marines walked out of the room, Annan reached inside her briefcase and activated her device. After nodding to Cain, he spoke.

"Well, Captain Reynolds", Cain said without looking at Mel behind him. Mel didn't move as he knew that there could be a video device looking in on them, but he spoke.

"They laid things out pretty clear", Reynolds replied, "You are only one ship – albeit a warship. If your fuel is low, where would you get more? The idea of getting you to an Alliance post on an under-populated world does put you at their mercy, but it does give your crew a chance to – like he says – live a normal life".

"But in the end, Alliance interests will come first", Inara added, "and so if things do take a turn for the worse for you, your crew, and your ship, you may have to have a backup plan established".

"I can't see anything else, Commander", Annan said next, "but the bottom line is that in return for asylum, we would be putting ourselves in their hands, so any edge that we have will need to be kept under our control".

Cain nodded and thought for a few minutes. At the moment, the Alliance did have a hand to the throat of the PEGASUS, given her fuel and long term survival situation. The Alliance wasn't squeezing the hand yet… far from it at the moment. However, if it chose to…

Cain stood up and walked over to the wall panel. Pressing the button, he waited. In a little under a minute, Barrett and the operative walked in. They had tried to eavesdrop on the conversation, but Annan's devise had thwarted that effort, and both Mal's and Inara's discipline did not give anything away on the visual sensors either…

"I am going to need to confer with my senior staff", Cain said to Barrett, "so I'd like to return to the PEGASUS, but I wish to reciprocate your hospitality with an invitation for you to visit the PEGASUS say… this time tomorrow? That will give us time to consider what was said here".

Barrett and the operative looked at each other, and then Barrett nodded.

"Very well, Commander", Barrett said, "Let's get you back to your ship. I humbly accept your offer to visit the PEGASUS and I look forward to it very much. I think the break until tomorrow will help immensely".

With that, all of them exited the room and headed back to the landing bay.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMMANDER CAIN'S CABIN**

"So there you have it", Cain said to the others assembled in his cabin.

It had been two hours since the return of the two vipers and the raptor – with himself and Lieutenant Annan – to the PEGASUS. Cain had ordered Colonel Tolen, Captain Syke, and Major Thyssen to his cabin, where he had been briefing them on the contact with the Alliance emissary on the SUMTER. With them were Mal and Inara.

"That operative had made it clear that we are at something of a tactical disadvantage, given our finite fuel and food supplies", Tolen noted.

"Fuel is certainly a priority", Thyssen confirmed, "That uncontrolled jump took most of our ready fuel. All we have left – apart from the residual amount – are in the secondary tanks that the vipers and raptors draw their fuel from. With what we have left, we could do perhaps a ten light-year jump, but after that…"

"The planetary scans that the Two Jasons did with that stealth star did detect raw tyllium on the surface, but given that we haven't seen any evidence of the Alliance using refined tyllium, and that we only have a limited ability to refine the ore here on the PEGASUS, there might just as well have been no tyllium ore at all", Tolen stated.

"What is Tyllium?" Mal asked.

"Our drive systems use it as fuel", Cain replied, "Refined into liquid form, it is a rather volatile fuel, but extremely efficient. It's the only fuel that our drives can use, unfortunately".

"While our drive systems and controls have been repaired and are back to full operation, no fuel makes them just curious pieces of metal", Thyssen added.

"Well, from what you said, they have offered to take us in. They'll give us asylum in return for our military technological know-how", Syke said, "and their rationale for using a remoter world for our assimilation into their society makes sense, given that there is a concern for culture shock".

"But there is another thing that needs to be considered", Mal put in, "Since the Miranda exposure, there has been an increasing demand from the people for parliament to have greater accountability. There actually have been some rumblings that could – in the worst case scenario – result in Civil War, like what happened here a few years ago".

Mal had told everyone in this room about what had happened on Miranda, and how that debacle had spawned the Reavers. With Miranda now being re-colonized as part of the fallout against parliament, no one had thought that the Alliance – by their allowing the re-colonization – had turned over a new leaf.

Inara added, "The PEGASUS could therefore not only be used to protect the Alliance from a potential Cylon attack, but it could be used to reassert Alliance control in a far more direct manner".

"Great!", Annan muttered, "If we stay, we could start a conflict, and if we leave, we could simply run out of fuel and die".

"Not to mention leaving this portion of humanity unprotected from the Cylons", Syke added.

"One thing I learned in school when taking Gemonese classes", Cain said, "was that the word 'crisis' consisted of two Gemonese characters: that of 'danger' and 'opportunity'. Yes, there is potential for conflict and/or oppression, but also potential for a greater liberalization of society".

"You don't intend to intrude into the internal affairs of the Alliance?" Tolen inquired, "given how little we know about them and how few we are, that could badly boomerang on us".

"I didn't say that", Cain said, "I meant that we can make a positive contribution. In any case, our fuel is finite, the Alliance are human and therefore an enemy to the Cylons, and the oath we took when entering the Colonial military is the safeguarding of human lives".

"But the Alliance will be wanting some opportunity out of this too, Commander", Mal pointed out, "and given their somewhat un-subtle means that they have used in the past to justify their ends, if they decide that you and your crew are more trouble than they are worth, they will stomp you out like an anthill".

"Then we will have to come up with a plan to safeguard our interests", Cain replied, "and since there are a number of worlds in this system, there are options. In any case, once the follow-up visit takes place tomorrow when Ambassador Barrett comes on board, then I will have a better idea of what course of action to take".

With that, the group broke up. Just as they were leaving, Cain called back, "Captain Reynolds, I need to speak to you for a little bit about Miranda"…

**IAV SUMTER – BRIDGE**

"So you'll be going over to the PEGASUS tomorrow, Mr. Ambassador", Metjie stated. It was not a question.

"The initial contact seemed to have worked out very well, and my colleague made it clear to Cain that his options are – when it all comes down to it – not unlimited", Barrett replied.

"I would like to have a member of my crew accompany you on the return visit". Metjie ventured, "obstensively as a representative of the Alliance navy, but hopefully to glean some intelligence before the DOMINION arrives".

"What is the DOMINION'S ETA?" the operative asked.

"Twenty-Nine hours approximately", Metjie replied, "Also the DEVISOR, which had gone to Jiangyin to assist the sentinel post there has been ordered to divert to our position. She will arrive about an hour after the DOMINION".

"The sight of four cruisers will certainly give Cain something to think about", the operative said, "but even without the big stick, I think things will work out our way in the end".

"How do you figure that?" Metjie asked.

"Cain is a military type who realizes that there are humans established here. Humans who could be attacked by these Cylons that had destroyed his home worlds. He won't leave another group of humans to be attacked, and as remote as that possibility is, he won't want to leave that to fate".

"But we must also be careful", Barrett cautioned, "the sudden appearance of the PEGASUS may embolden the Alliance's enemies, not to mention making an adverse reaction on the populace. We barely managed to avoid disaster with the Miranda exposé".

"Using one of our remoter bases was a good idea, and that will keep Cain and his crew away from the Core Worlds for a time whilst we can get a good look at the PEGASUS and it's war materiel", Barrett commented, "but we will still need to restrict Cain and his crew somewhat in regards to the workings of the alliance, and to get them separated from their battlestar so that they would pose less of a danger".

"If the crew of the PEGASUS are professionals, perhaps assimilation into the Alliance Navy would expedite matters. In any case, we would need a number of them from the Engineering and Command echelons to help us decipher their technology", Metjie pointed out.

"Well, tomorrow should prove to be a pivotal day then", Barrett said, "And I do like the idea of a representative from the Navy accompanying us. Make sure one is ready to leave when we are, Commandant".

"It will be done, Mr. Ambassador", Metjie replied.

**IAV SUMTER – COMMANDANT METJIE'S CABIN**

"It's been arranged", Metjie said to another officer in his cabin, "You will accompany the Ambassador and the Operative to the PEGASUS tomorrow".

"I knew you could arrange it, Commandant", the officer replied.

"I have a vested interest in Blue Sun as well", Metjie replied with a smile.

Metjie was speaking to Blue Sun Corporation's man on the SUMTER. Metjie was nearing retirement and Blue Sun had offered him a lucrative career in return for allowing Blue Sun to have a presence on his ship. Technically, that was a conflict of interest for which Metjie could be court-martialed, but the salary that Blue Sun was offering compared VERY well to the Alliance Navy pension. It now seemed like the move was going to pay off…

"With the toys that the corporation gave me, I think I can get some good inside intelligence", the officer said, pointing to his carry-all.

"Just don't let slip that you're anything more than what you will appear to be: an Alliance Naval attaché", Metjie reminded the officer, "or we'll all be in deep gou-shi. Dong ma?"

Nodding , the officer grabbed his carry all and left the cabin. As soon as the door closed, the officer muttered, "Bun tyen-shung duh ee-dway-ro, Commandant". He had to get back to his cabin and use his secreted transmitter to inform the Director…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – NINETEEN HOURS LATER**

It was actually a good thing for all concerned on board the PEGASUS that Commander Cain ran a tight ship. As the interiors of the battlestar were kept clean and tidy, there was not all that much extra work to be done getting the battlestar ready to receive it's guests.

Cain wanted his visitors to get a good look at the potential striking power of the PEGASUS, so he had arranged it so that when their shuttle landed – pre-screened of course to ensure nothing unwanted came with it – the guests would be escorted through one of the squadron's raptor preparation areas, plus the marine guard contingent. Anything to make these people think twice about taking him on…

"I really can't thank you enough for helping me out", Cain said to Mal and Inara. They were in the Officer's club having a small cocktail before the expected arrival of the Alliance emissaries.

"I just wanted to be sure that you were going in with both eyes open, Commander", Mal replied.

Glen Sanders was sitting with the party. He would be acting as Cain's liaison on this second visit while Annan was back at her station in Core Command. Mal was noticing that Inara and Sanders were constantly looking at each other…

"Any questions, Comms?" Cain asked, startling Sanders some.

"Uh, no, Commander", Sanders replied, "I've arranged to have CAG fly a squadron around the PEGASUS during the rendezvous as an ostensive aerial salute to our guests, and which should also be readily seen from both the SUMTER and DORTMUNDER.

"Uh, Commander", Mal asked, "Is there any way I can contact the SERENITY? I want to make sure that she made it back to Miranda okay".

"If the SUMTER detects us making a signal to Miranda, that might make them suspicious, but don't worry: once we are done, I'll make sure that you and Ms. Inara rejoin your crew".

Mel reluctantly nodded. He didn't like to be away from SERENITY for this long, but what Cain said made sense.

Just then, Tolen's voice came over the commlink.

"Set to Condition Two alert", Tolen's voice announced.

"That means their shuttle is on the way, so let's get down to the landing bay", Cain said, draining his drink.

With Mel and Inara still in their marine disguises, they followed Cain and Sanders out of the club.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"Get me a scan on their shuttle", Tolen ordered Annan.

Annan did a scan of the alliance shuttlecraft.

"Detecting five human lifeforms… nothing indicating any major armaments or explosives. Propulsion system is chemical, so if it explodes, damage would be minimal".

"Those fighters escorting the shuttle?" Tolen asked next.

"They are single-seat interceptors with missiles and what appears to be an energy beam weapon armaments", Annan reported.

"Those fighters are not going to land on this ship", Tolen announced, "Have CAG launch his 'aerial salute'"…

**SUMTER SHUTTLE- EN ROUTE TO PEGASUS**

"Ambassador", the pilot called out, "I'm picking up multiple launches from the port pod of the PEGASUS. Looks like a dozen gunships of some type…"

"Are they in attack formation?" the operative asked.

"Uh, negative, Sir", the pilot replied, "Looks like a formation fly-by. Definitely not homing in on either the DORTMUNDER or the SUMTER".

"Nice honor", the Ambassador said dryly.

"And a thinly veiled threat", the operative added, "look at how those ships are maneuvering".

Just then, the pilot said, "We are being hailed".

"Incoming Shuttle from IAV SUMTER, this is PEGASUS Core Command", are you reveiving?

"Affirmative, PEGASUS", the pilot replied, "The Ambassador and his party are present and are requesting permission to alight on PEGASUS".

"You are cleared to land in the port landing bay. Alight on the lit target and we will do the rest", Core Command ordered.

"And our escort?" the pilot asked.

"They are not cleared – repeat – not cleared to land", Core Command responded, "They are cleared to maintain station outside PEGASUS".

"We allowed your escort to land on SUMTER, PEGASUS. Explain the refusal", Barrett demanded. A gruff male voice came on the mike.

"This is the PEGASUS X.O.", the voice said, "Your fighters are carrying missiles. Ours did not. We don't want to take a chance of an accidental firing – or otherwise – on board PEGASUS".

Barrett wanted to argue further, but the Operative shook his head.

"He has a point. Don't argue", the operative 'advised'.

"Very well, PEGASUS", Barrett said, "our escort will stay on station outside PEGASUS".

"Thank you, SUMTER shuttle", the gruff voice replied, "You are cleared for landing".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER.**

From his console, Tolen watched as the shuttle slowly made its way into the maw of the port landing bay. The pilot deftly set it down on the illuminated pad.

"Tell the pilot to cut his engine", Tolen ordered Annan.

After Annan relayed the command, the shuttle's drive was shut down. Tolen then instructed Annan to lower the pad elevator. He watched as the shuttle was lowered down into the hangar. As the pressure hatch slid over the open space, Tolen ordered the bay to be pressurized.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – OUTSIDE PORT HANGER SEVEN**

"Pressurization completed", the crew chief announced.

Cain nodded. He signaled Sergeant Haig who commanded the Marine honor contingent. As the hatch opened, the honor guard walked in. For their part, Mal and Inara were at the conference room, waiting for the party to arrive.

"Okay", Cain said to Sanders, "Let's meet our guests…"


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – HANGAR BAY SIX**

"Welcome on board the Battlestar PEGASUS", Cain said as he walked up to Ambassador Barrett. Barrett had just egressed from the shuttle.

"Thank you very much, Commander", Barrett replied as he shook Cain's offered hand.

Cain looked at the other three persons who had exited the SUMTER shuttle.

"I recognize your colleague, the representative from your President", Cain said conversationally, "but who is this other person?"

The 'other person' came to attention and saluted Cain. Cain automatically saluted back.

"I am Captain Tau, representing the Commandant and crew of the IAV Sumter, and – by extension – the Navy of the Alliance", he said.

"The shuttle pilot and the marine are my official bodyguard – given the number that you had with you when you boarded the SUMTER", Barrett added. Cain nodded.

"I'd like to introduce Major Glen Sanders, who is third in Command of the PEGASUS", Cain said next, indicating Sanders who was behind him. Sanders saluted.

"What happened to Lieutenant Annan?" the operative asked.

"She is with my X.O., Colonel Tolen, up in CIC. That stands for Combat Information Center", Cain explained.

"Combat Information Center", Barrett repeated, "I hope that doesn't indicate anything ominous".

Cain chuckled, "No, Mr. Ambassador. On Colonial warships, the CIC is basically the bridge. The fact that our strike wing and our armaments are also controlled from that point gives the bridge it's name".

"Quite a roomy hanger you have here", Tau commented, "It would have fit our escort okay".

"Colonel Tolen told me that your escort ships had missiles on their hard-points", Cain retorted, "and since our escort didn't, It seemed to be prudent. Any ordinance fired off in here by accident could have calamatous consequences, and I really didn't like the idea of demonstrating our fire-control techniques to you in such an abrupt manner".

Barrett chuckled at Cain's comment. As a former gunship pilot himself, he well-knew that accidents with ordinance could become catastophic events very quickly.

For his part, Captain Tau could see that the commander was quite an astute individual. Still, as was pointed out earlier, the PEGASUS was alone and that gave the Alliance the long-term advantage…

Cain of course had the advantage on the PEGASUS at the moment, and Sergeant Haig's honor guard lined up on either side of the bay door reinforced that perception. Barrett, Tau, and the operative did their best not to notice the marines, but they could see that they were all well-armed and no-nonsense…

"Well, people", Cain said next, "Let's go up to a more comfortable place than this hangar to discuss matters", indicating the exit.

With Cain and Sanders leading, Barrett, the operative, and Tau left the hangar deck, the two bodyguards bringing up the rear. The shuttle pilot re-entered his ship to await his passengers eventual return... and to ensure that there would be no unwanted 'visitors' coming on board.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – EN ROUTE TO CIC**

While they were walking, the visitors from the SUMTER were looking around at their new environment. Everything looked clean and well-maintained – quite the opposite from what they expected after seeing the somewhat scarred exterior of the battlestar – and they saw that the crew were very professional in demeanor. Barrett whistled under his breath as he passed a dispersal point for one of Silver Spar's viper squadrons.

"This is one of our squadrons", Sanders said, playing the role of guide, "These launch tubes can disperse an entire squadron within a minute".

"How many fighters per squadron do you have, and how many squadrons are based on the PEGASUS?" Tau asked.

"Several fighters per squadron, and more than one squadron", Sanders vaguely replied, "sorry, gentlemen, but at the present time, that precise information is classified".

Tau muttered an expletive under his breath, but he saw that there were at least a dozen of the tri-winged fighters visible, and this warship was quite large…

A quick trip up a service elevator, and another short walk, and the party found themselves in CIC. Barrett, the operative, and Tau guessed this by not only all the consoles, but also the number of armed marines deployed. Cain walked up to an officer.

"Gentlemen", Cain said next, "This is Colonel Tolen, Executive Officer of the PEGASUS". Tolen nodded briefly in greeting, then turned back to his console.

Barrett's eyes rose some at Tolen's lack of formal courtesy, but Cain soothed him down.

"My X.O. takes his job very seriously. He views guests as a distraction", he explained.

Cain had actually instructed Tolen to act in that manner. He wanted to give the impression that if anything happened to him, then Tolen would be a rather more 'business-like' commander that they would have to deal with.

The operative noticed Lieutenant Annan at her post as they left CIC. Cain gestured to a room just a few feet away from the CIC hatch.

The party entered to find themselves in a conference room. A large desk set out with some refreshments, and a large viewport from which the SUMTER and DORTMUNDER could be seen. Barrett noticed that the two escorting gunships were themselves being escorted by fighters from the PEGASUS…

"What are these flags?" the operative asked, gesturing to the various banners hanging behind the desk.

"Those flags represent the twelve worlds that made up the colonies", Cain replied, "The crew of the PEGASUS come from all of those worlds… worlds now destroyed by the Cylons", he added.

Gesturing to the desk, the SUMTER party sat down – except for the two bodyguards who stood behind them. As Cain and Sanders sat down, Mal and Inara – still in their marine disguises and visors lowered on their helmets – walked in and took up their position behind Cain.

Also, in CIC, Tolen was monitoring the conference room through the internal security feed coming from the conference room. Tolen only had to say a word and there would be a whole Marine contingent charging in…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – CIC CONFERENCE ROOM – Two hours later.**

"That's quite a sizable system of planets that you have here", Cain said after Barrett had finished his presentation on the layout of Alliance space – both Core World and Outer Rim.

Barrett and the operative had thought about giving out some distorted data, but since the PEGASUS had dispatched probes and any discrepancies between their information and the intelligence gained by the PEGASUS would have been noticed, both had decided to give Cain an accurate disposition of the worlds of the Alliance – as any secondary student in the high schools on the Core Worlds would have been taught.

"The way our population is expanding, we need a lot of planets", Barrett answered.

"It's still a wonder that you managed to leave Earth and get all of these planets settled and developed in such a short time, given the fact that you have no FTL", Sanders noted.

"The first ships were high sub-light, but it did take a while – to say the least – for people from Earth-That-Was to get out here. Our automatic terra-forming spacecraft landed on the planets here some years before the exodus and started to make things habitable rather quickly. As the core worlds were settled then built up, then we sent the terra-formers to the outer worlds", the operative replied.

"But still, there was some dissention", Sanders persisted, "after all, you had mentioned a civil war here not long ago'.

"The settlers on the outer worlds had an irrational distrust of central control and decided to go their own way in a rather violent fashion", the operative explained. Mal stayed still, but the grip on his rifle tightened.

"We had invested a lot of time, money, and resources in terra-forming, and they wanted to take it away from us unilaterally and create a loose confederacy that could have undermined the Alliance fatally", the operative continued, "so in that respect, we had to fight. We won, and judging from what you have told us about the Cylons, it's a good thing that we did".

"But there must still be some rumblings out here", Sanders asked.

"Mainly undesirable elements, pirates, and anti-socials", the operative replied, "which is why we keep a permanent military presence on the outer worlds".

"Sounds like a military occupation of sorts", Cain commented, "because if you try to tell people what to think and do, and they don't like that, what else could you call it?"

"We're not trying to tell people what to think, Commander", Barrett said indignantly, "We're only trying to show them how".

"Don't tell me that your twelve worlds were all in simultaneous harmony, Commander", the operative asked.

"We've had our share of separatist and decentralized sentiments in the history of the Colonies", Cain replied, "but we overcame them".

"But the real irony here, Commander", the operative said, "was that the Cylons were built by the Colonies, and they ended up revolting against you. You fought two wars against them – losing the latter, and the end result of that is that you may have very well presented to us the very same threat that destroyed your colonies".

"Which means that we have a mutual interest", Cain said, "You have a place for us here – safe in a human society – and we have the military technology that you need to defeat the Cylons. Mutual interest can be a win-win situation here".

"Certainly it can, Commander", Barrett said, "Having the alliance equipped with battlestars like the PEGASUS – plus its fighters – would make things safer for humanity, but despite the benefits, I do detect a degree of caution in your voice".

"As you had said on the SUMTER: let's be honest", Cain replied, "I would be putting not just the PEGASUS and our technological know-how in your hands, but I'd also be entrusting the well-being – actually, the lives - of every single member of her crew to your mercy. History has shown on many occasions where humans have turned against each other in order to gain knowledge and power. You'll use us to gain what knowledge we have that can help you – that's to be expected, but what then?"

The operative spoke next, saying, "The President and Cabinet have given me plenipotentiary authority to offer to you any outer world in the Alliance for you to settle. In return, you will allow the PEGASUS to be absorbed into the Alliance Navy and to provide technical expertise".

"That sounds fair, and I suppose that those of the crew who decide not to settle down can find employment in your navy", Cain said, "but how can our well-being be guaranteed?"

"Look over the star maps we gave you, and make your choice of what outer planet to go to", the operative replied, "Once decided, the PEGASUS will go there. We will dispatch an alliance station and dry dock facility to that same world. That way, the PEGASUS will stay in your 'sights' and we will still be able to examine, and reverse engineer your technology. As a sign of good faith, while doing so, we will also give the PEGASUS a total overhaul under the supervision of you and your engineers".

Cain looked over at Sanders. That was an offer that sounded too good to be true.

"Also", the operative added, "We will also allow you to deploy one of your squadrons to the world you choose to go to. That will also give you 'local cover'".

"What about the settlers already on the planet we choose?" Cain asked.

"We'll come up with a cover story", the operative answered, "and this is also a means for you to trust our word. Would we want to destroy our settlers in the process should we decide to take you out?"

"Any person or group dedicated enough would not worry about collateral damage of that type", Cain replied, "but your offer sounds good. However, I will discuss this with my crew as a decision like this affects all of them. I don't favor democracy on a warship", Cain added, "but in this case, they will have to have a say".

"Tell them that if they decide to settle, the Alliance will provide domiciles, food, and all the supplies needed to get settled. Also, the offer for employment in our navy as technical advisors will go for all of them".

Cain leaned back in his seat. He looked at Sanders – whose face was impassive, then back at Barrett and his party. Finally, he spoke.

"I will confer with my command staff", Cain promised, "and we should be able to give a tentative answer at least before your other two ships arrive".

At the look of surprise on Barrett's, Tau's, and the operative's faces, Cain said, "our deep space sensors detected two other cruisers on an intercept course. The first one will be here in nine hours".

"Well, looks like your sensor technology will also be very interesting to look at", Tau said with some understatement.

Cain stood. The others stood as well.

"Major Sanders will take you down to the Officers Club for a buffet lunch and cocktail. I don't want to have a reputation as a lousy host. I will talk to some of my CIC officers and gauge their reaction before I join you in the club".

Nodding, Sanders gestured to Barrett and his party to follow him.

As the party – with the SUMTER bodyguards – left, Cain turned to face Mal and Inara, who had just taken off their helmets.

"I think I'd better get a handle on your opinions before I go spread the joyful news to my crew", Cain said dryly.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – CIC CONFERENCE ROOM**

"I didn't take too kindly to how he described our war", Mal ground out, "There were good reasons for doing what we did".

"Mal, please calm down", Inara urged, "Commander Cain needs some dispassionate advice".

"History is written by the winners, unfortunately, Captain Reynolds" , Cain said not unsympathetically, "and the other side won".

"Which is why me and my crew do what we do, Commander", Mel responded, "Being freelance freighter folk gives us a degree of freedom that folks back in the Alliance don't have".

"You're using Miranda as a base of operations though", Cain replied, "which means that you are settling down some".

"The reason why we use Miranda as our base", Inara chimed in, "is that it keeps us in view of the Alliance citizenry. Ever since the Miranda exposé, the Alliance had been making some not-so-well-veiled threats against us for making them look like fools, so being there stops the Alliance from trying anything nasty".

"Well, I don't want them to make us look like fools either", Cain commented, "So can we get back to the subject?"

Mal took a deep breath, then said, "On the face of it, their offer seems to be a good one. It does put you, your crew, and the PEGASUS under their control, but they are also providing safeguards to ensure that you can keep tabs on things".

"But…?" Cain prompted.

"They could still change their minds and stomp you flat if they feel that you'd be more trouble than you was worth", Mal continued, "so your crew being together on one world, one fighter squadron isn't going to be much protection".

"That's why I am going to have more than one squadron available for me to use", Cain said, "we have other ships in our inventory that I'm not too anxious for the Alliance to copy right at this moment, plus I'm going to insist on at least a reasonable presence on the PEGASUS during the Alliance inspection".

"Plus going to Miranda also puts you in the spotlight if needed", Mal added with a smile.

Cain had talked to Mal and Inara in great detail about Miranda, the exposé, and of course the Reavers as their space was not far away from Miranda. Cain had sent out the peregrine some hours earlier to scout Miranda for additional data, and it was due to return soon.

The SUMTER had inquired about the peregrine's departure to which Cain glibly replied that it was checking for any evidence of a Cylon presence away from Alliance space. That, plus the ever-present CAP patrols being dispatched by the PEGASUS to patrol local space didn't seem to prompt any further 'requests' from the Alliance cruisers, though the DORTMUNDER had also established gunships to monitor the vipers.

"I think I'd better go down to the Officer's club and entertain our guests", Cain said as he stood.

"What about us?" Mal asked.

"Both you and Miss Inara stay here for the time being", Cain replied, "I'll make sure that Major Sanders takes care of your needs. Once our guests from the SUMTER depart, then we can discuss getting you back to Miranda".

With that, Cain left. After the door closed, Mal turned to Inara.

"I seen you looking at Major Sanders", Mal said in what he (unsuccessfully) hoped he had phrased neutrally.

"Why Malcolm Reynolds", Inara replied with a smile that stopped at her eyes, "I thought you didn't care about my profession".

"Profession is one thing, and your look sure weren't professional", Mal shot back.

"Drop it, Mal", Inara suggested, "We've still got to get back to SERENITY. We can discuss this matter there".

**PEREGRINE "FLEET AVENGER" – ORBITING MIRANDA – BLUE SUN SYSTEM**

"This planet is a veritable gold mine", Sims said, looking at his scan data, "There is enough raw tyllium there to fuel the Colonial Fleet for centuries!"

"Populace and technology?" Hunter asked.

"All of the cities seem to be on the northern continent", Sims replied, "and definite technological readings".

"Well, according to Commander Cain, this could be our new home", Hunter said, "So the more data we get, the better".

"True, Hondo", Sims replied, "and speaking for myself, it'll be great to stand on a planet, breathing fresh air".

"Terra-formed air, Coffin", Hunter corrected, "but I do share that sentiment".

Just then, a chime sounded on Sim's console.

"Heads up, Hondo", Sims cautioned, "There's a number of ships incoming!"

"Where from? The Alliance station nearby isn't dispatching any ships", Hunter said after looking at his sensors.

"They're coming from Reaver space", Sims replied, "and the planet is between the station and the Reavers".

"Get a close-up on those incoming ships", Hunter ordered, "They could be an alliance patrol returning from a probe".

As Sims activated his active array, Hunter remembered the brief about the Reavers that Mal and Inara had given them earlier. He found it hard to believe that humans could have degenerated into such a violent and savage disposition, but he saw that Mal was deadly serious – and not a little bit scared – when he was giving his brief. Inara looked just as grim.

"These readings show three large ships – possibly converted freighters – but their radiation readings are off the scale!", Sims reported, "definitely Reaver trademarks, according to Reynolds".

"If we got an alert out to the station, could they dispatch an intercept before the Reaver ships hit atmosphere? Hunter asked. Sims looked at his console screens and shook his head.

"Negative, Hondo", Sims reported, "but we could".

If the Reaver ships got into the atmosphere, they could use the terrain to evade pursuit and thus give them their choice of settlements to rape and pillage before any help could come…

Cain had ordered that his presence not be noticed during this recon of Miranda, but given that humans were about to be barbarously slaughtered – in a manner not too different to what Cylons did to human prisoners in the first Cylon war – he made his decision.

"We're going in, Coffin", Hunter said as he throttled up his sub-light drive, "Get the weapons platform on line!"

"Coming up", Sims acknowledged. As he said those words, Hunter changed his wireless to the UNICOM frequency and keyed his mike.

"Attention Miranda Sentinel Post", Hunter communicated, "Incoming Reaver ships on the far side of the planet. We're moving in to intercept. May need help".

"Who is this, please?" a voice came back.

Hunter thought for a second, then replied, "Experimental Naval Gunship undergoing classified flight test. Not permitted to give out any more information".

"Test flights are not supposed to be armed", the voice came back.

"I don't have time to argue!", Hunter barked, "If those Reavers get into atmosphere, people are going to die. Now move!"

**ALLIANCE SENTINEL POST – MIRANDA**

With the re-settlement of Miranda in full swing, the Alliance was intending to provide two sentinel posts in order to keep a constant monitoring presence of Reaver Space, and to protect the planet Miranda itself. The first sentinel post had already been deployed, but the second station's construction had been delayed for unknown reasons. It made things rather stressful on the crew of the sentinel post, but their routine was about to be interrupted in a different way…

"You have any knowledge of a test flight?" the commandant of the station asked.

All of the other officers present shook their heads.

"Weird accent of that pilot as well", the commandant thought, "a ruse of some kind?"

Just then, a civilian ship hailed them.

"This is the freighter JENG HO", the commandant heard over the wireless, "We just lifted off from Anchorhead. We are detecting incoming from the direction of Reaver Space. Come quick!"

Anchorhead Spaceport was just beyond the terminator, so the JENG HO could see in both directions.

"XO., deploy gunships!" the commandant ordered, "Looks like that test flight pilot was on the level!"

**PEREGRINE "FLEET AVENGER"**

"I'm picking up departing fighters from the post, Hondo", Sims reported.

"They're still not going to get there in time, unless we delay those Reaver ships", Hunter replied, "Get me your sensor readings on the Reaver ships".

Sims punched up the images from his console to Hunter's console display. What Hondo saw revolted him.

"Those ships are cobbled-together scrap heaps… and there are what looks to be human corpses tied up on the outside!", Hunter spat out, "When you acquire them on your weapons platform, fire scarab missiles at them!"

"Their radiation output is going to mess up the scarab guidance system", Sims pointed out, "so we'll have to use our longbows".

Hunter gritted his teeth. The longbow was a shorter range missile than the scarab, but unlike the scarab, the longbow was wire-guided. It meant that the FLEET AVENGER would have to wait to fire until they came into range of the Reaver ships, and the Reaver ships were getting awfully close to the atmosphere of Miranda…

"We're in range!", Sims said, "Firing Longbow spread at lead ship!"

The longbows rocketed out of their hard-points. As they streaked in – rapidly unraveling an extremely thin controlling wire – Sims controlled the trajectory precisely. He could see through the video feed from the lead longbow that the Reaver ship was a true obscenity with its cobbled-together look, the crude streaks of red paint, and the numerous corpses attached to its exterior.

With a blinding flash, the lead Reaver ship disintegrated as the longbows impacted. The other two ships however, did not either turn away, or continue on their course to Miranda…

"They're turning to engage us", Sims reported, "and we have no more longbows".

"If we can't use our scarabs, then we'll use our cannon", Hunter replied, "We have to buy time until the Alliance fighters arrive"

"The Reaver ships are firing!", Sims shouted.

Hunter saw the incoming missiles and cannon fire. Without thinking, he activated his missile decoys and went into an evasive flight pattern. The decoys worked in distracting the missiles and they all exploded harmlessly away from the peregrine, but the cannon fire was proving to be a different matter.

Hunter grimaced as the peregrine shuddered from some impacts from the cannon. Sims looked at the damage control console.

"High-side damage, Hondo", Sims reported, "nothing serious".

"When anybody puts so much as a scratch on my peregrine, it's serious, Coffin", Hunter ground out, "Take that, you frakking obscenities", he shouted as he thumbed the fire button on his joystick.

The cannon fire from the peregrine raked the oncoming Reaver ship as the FLEET AVENGER streaked past it. Deftly, Hunter shifted his aim to the other Reaver vessel and sent a couple of bursts of cannon fire into it.

"Okay, now let's head for the fighters", Hunter said as he changed the peregrine's course.

"Those ships are still pursuing", Sims said.

"Get ready to fire up the F-T-L", Hunter said, "as soon as the Alliance fighters come into visual".

Sims powered up the F-T-L while Hunter flew the peregrine towards the fighters. The Reaver ships were still firing, but Hunter's evasive tactics stopped any more hits. It was apparent that the Reavers were not going to give up… which is what Hunter had hoped.

"There are the fighters", Hunter announced, "go to F-T-L in 3, 2, 1… go!"

With a flash, the peregrine disappeared.

**FLIGHT LEADER – SENTINEL SQUADRON**

"What was that flash?" the flight leader said as his gunship closed in.

"Reavers may have gotten it", one of his wingmen suggested.

"Speaking of which", the flight leader said next, "Here they come, Sentinel Squadron, fire at will!"

**PEREGRINE "FLEET AVENGER" – VICINITY OF BATTLESTAR PEGASUS**

With a flash, the peregrine re-appeared twenty kilometers away from the PEGASUS. Both Hunter and Sims breathed a sigh of relief.

"You think those fighters will be able to deal with them?" Sims asked as Hunter activated the automatic pilot which would bring the FLEET AVENGER back onto the deck of the starboard landing bay.

"There was a full squadron, so I think so", Hunter replied, "Trust Reavers to make life on Miranda un-dull", he said dryly.

Sims chuckled as he resumed his job of scanning local space and checking on the peregrine's systems…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – OFFICER'S CLUB.**

"Thank you for your hospitality, Commander", Barrett said as he filled a glass with wine, "I'd like to propose a toast, if I may".

The people around him – Colonial and Alliance – charged their glasses. As soon as Barrett noticed that they were all ready, he raised his glass.

"To mutual cooperation, and a grand future", Barrett said.

"Hear-Hear", Cain said as he sipped from his glass.

After the toast was concluded, the party started to break up. Barrett spoke quietly to Cain.

"We'll have to get back to our shuttle as I'll need to get back to the SUMTER and file my report to parliament", Barrett said, "but you will keep me informed as to how your conference with the PEGASUS crew will go?"

"Definitely", Cain replied, "We should also be able to give you the name of the planet we'd like to go to as well".

"In that case, I look forward to hearing from you soon", Barrett said with a smile, "Oh, and I'll send a message to both the DEVISOR and DOMINION to hold back. If we're going to trust each other, then there will be no need for the extra ships".

"I appreciate that", Cain replied, "and thank you for not objecting to our patrols. It is standard procedure, and given what you said about 'undesirable elements', it is also prudent".

"Actually", Barrett said with another smile, "I like the look of your fighters. The name 'viper' really sounds appropriate, and I'm sure a number of our pilots would love to be able to fly them some day".

With that, Cain walked Barrett back down to the hanger bay. Both the operative and Tau followed, then the bodyguard.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – HANGAR BAY SIX**

"Once again, thank you for the system maps", Cain stated to Barrett. They were standing just outside the hatch of the Alliance shuttle".

"Thank you for being a gracious host, Commander", Barrett replied, "I'm sure that once parliament reads my report, there will be no problems getting your people settled. I am sure that the PEGASUS will be a valuable asset to the Alliance, and the expertise of your crew will also be likewise valuable".

With that, Barrett offered his hand. Cain shook it, then nodded as Barrett climbed into the shuttle.

Cain and his entourage left the hangar bay, the airlock hatch closing behind them.

**ALLIANCE SHUTTLE**

"What do you think?" Barrett asked the operative and Tau as the hangar bay deck elevated the shuttle up to the landing bay deck level.

"Looks like we'll be getting a heck of a good bargain, military-wise", Tau replied.

"Just so long as the assimilation is a gradual process", the operative warned, "and a lot will depend on the world they choose".

"Well, regardless of what world", Tau said, "We can get a sizeable Alliance presence there to both study the PEGASUS, and keep tabs on our new 'settlers'…"

Barrett and the operative nodded. Regardless of how co-operative Can and his crew would be, they were still an unknown quantity in many ways, and thus would need to be monitored… and if the worst case scenario ever came to be, then easily disposed of…


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – SILVER SPAR DEBRIEFING ROOM**

It had been two hours since the departure of the SUMTER shuttle, and now Cain was listening in to other information pertaining to Alliance space…

"That intelligence pertaining to substantial tyllium deposits on Miranda makes things rather more attractive", Cain commented after reviewing Hunter's and Sim's data.

"Those Reavers being close by may take the icing off the cake though", Tolen pointed out.

"If we do settle on Miranda", Hunter ventured, "surely our military presence will ensure our – and the other inhabitants' safety?"

"It could, but if the Alliance tires of us, they could just as easily look the other way and let the Reavers do their dirty work", Syke pointed out.

Cain, Syke, and Tolen were listening to the debriefing of Hunter and Sims after their return to the PEGASUS. Mal and Inara were also there to provide, given their currently residing on Miranda.

"I wish you'd have let me go with them, Commander", Mal commented, "I could have provided you with some more information".

"I needed you here, Captain Reynolds", Cain replied, "Without the input of you and Miss Inara, I would not have gotten a balanced picture from the negotiations with the Alliance emissaries. Your inputs and insights have been invaluable".

"But look on the bright side, Captain", Hunter said as he punched up a picture on the display, "We got this picture of Axiom. You can see SERENITY is down and docked at the spaceport".

"At least a FIREFLY-class freighter", Mal corrected, "But since there aren't too many of them around anymore, it's a fair bet she's SERENITY".

Axiom was the administrative center for the planet Miranda, located on the western coast of the Northern Continent. While Anchorhead – located on the other side of the continent- was used as a secondary spaceport, Axiom was the main entry and exit port for traffic to and from Miranda. The sentinel post was locked in geosynchronous orbit over Axiom.

"How did you manage to avoid detection from the sentinel post?" Mal asked.

"The peregrine has a few tricks up its sleeve", Hunter replied, "So it wasn't any real problem to avoid being seen".

"Wish SERENITY had that quality", Mel quipped.

"Given the planet's close proximity to Reaver space", Cain mused, "I'm surprised that there is only one Alliance sentinel post to prove protection, though their covering Axiom would be their primary concern".

"There were supposed to be two sentinel posts, Commander", Inara replied, "but budgetary considerations have delayed deployment of the second post. At least that's what the folk on Miranda were told".

"If do we end up going to Miranda", Tolen commented, "You can bet a lot of money that the Alliance will up their presence… and I'm not just referring to the dry-dock those emissaries mentioned".

"That alone would dissuade the Reavers from making any more incursions into Miranda Space", Inara ventured, "after all, they are savage… but they are not stupid".

"Reavers and possible Alliance treachery on one side", Cain mused, "Tyllium and a fresh start for our people on the other. That's the choice".

"Will this Tyllium really revolutionize space travel?" Mal asked.

"The F-T-L drive needs it, and you've seen how fast on sub-light our ships can go. Yes, Tyllium will revolutionize travel, and as we have the knowledge as to how to mine and refine it, that will also give us an advantage in the dealings with the Alliance", Cain replied, "and the Alliance will understand that".

Mal nodded slowly, then he stood up.

"So can we get our promised ride back to Miranda?" he asked, "I feel better back on my own ship".

"Yes, we can do that", Cain replied, "but would you mind taking a couple of our officers with you when you get there? They will be there getting on-the-ground intel. Don't worry: we will make sure that you're paid for your hosting them".

"Given that the Alliance may not look too kindly on us harboring spies…", Inara started to say. Mal raised his hand to cut her off.

"Your people saved our lives, and we'll host your officers as part of our crew. We can discuss payment later", Mal said, surprising Inara.

"I will have Major Sanders provide two volunteers. Captain Syke will take you to a raptor and as soon as our volunteers report, we'll get you two back to Miranda", Cain said.

With that, the debriefing broke up. As they were leaving the debriefing room, Cain said to Tolen, "Have all personnel – except for bare essential personnel – assemble in the starboard landing bay in one hour. Close off the bay doors and pressurize the entire deck. I think it's time we let the crew of the PEGASUS in on the situation".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – STARBOARD LANDING BAY – THREE HOURS LATER**

After Cain had finished speaking, there was a silence amongst the three thousand people assembled on the landing bay's huge deck. The two hundred skeleton personnel who were manning their posts – and who had heard Cain's speech over the inter-ship audio – were also quiet. Cain took advantage of the quiet to speak again.

"So we have actually reached GALACTICA'S intended destination, and made contact with the descendents of the Thirteenth Tribe. Given the gravity of our situation – not being able to jump back to known space, finite fuel, and to all intents and purposes totally cut off from the HYPERION task force, it now falls to each of you to make a decision", Cain said, "and I know what you're thinking: the old man espousing democracy on a warship. Don't worry, I haven't gone crazy, but with the changed situation, particularly with this group of humanity that could someday be attacked by the Cylons, the choice is simple: stay here to start a new life on an Alliance world and help these people prepare, or to continue on our search for the GALACTICA, hoping that we can find food and fuel to continue".

The crewmen started muttering amongst themselves. As the minutes passed, the muttering got louder. Tolen thought about getting on the mike to tell them to quiet down, but Cain stopped him.

"Geoff", Cain said quietly, "This is probably the hardest decision that any person can be asked to make. It's only right that we let them discuss it amongst themselves for a while".

Tolen nodded as he and Cain watched the assembled crew continue to talk. After a few minutes, Cain got back on the mike. The muttering stopped as Cain spoke.

"I want you all to talk to your department heads in order to get your views on this. In three hours, I will meet the department heads in the Silver Spar debriefing room and go over your concerns", Cain said, "Once done, I will arrange a time and a means to vote. On this issue, rank will have no influence. We are a democratic people at heart and I will not tell you my preferences, but remember this: we all swore an oath to protect humanity so when the time comes to vote, try to keep that oath in mind. That is all".

Tolen took the mike and said, "Ship's company, dismissed!"

The crew left the landing bay to return to their respective on and off-duty locations. Tricia walked up to her father, who was still watching the bay empty out.

"Father", she said.

"You're not supposed to call me Father during duty hours, Captain", Cain said half-seriously.

"Well then: Commander", Tricia said, "You think that the crew will make the right decision?"

"They need to make the decision, Tricia", Cain replied, "I have led them for a long time, and I am proud to have them as my crew, but they all have the right to lead normal lives. The Alliance offer gives them that chance".

"And the GALACTICA?" Tricia asked next.

"Bill Adama would have done the same thing", Cain replied, "and to tell you the truth, I do get tired of having this responsibility of command. Remember: I was due to retire before the tin-heads wrecked our plans… and planets!"

Tricia nodded slowly, then drew herself to attention and saluted.

"Permission to return to duty, Commander", she formally asked.

At Cain's nod, she did a smart about-face and left the landing bay.

**RECON RAPTOR TWO – MIRANDA – AXIOM SPACEPORT.**

"Well Ladies and Gentlemen", Lieutenant Matt Higgins mock-seriously said, "We have now landed on Scenic Miranda. We thank you for flying Colonial Spaceways and hope that you'll fly with us again soon".

"Thanks for the ride", Mal replied with a chuckle as he opened the raptor's hatch. He took a deep breath as he stepped out of the raptor – which had its colonial markings painted out.

"Thanks for the transponder code", Higgins replied, "otherwise our presence may have been noticed in an un-welcome way by the sentinel post.

Mal had given Higgins the transponder code for civilian traffic of Miranda registry. When the sentinel post had queried their transponder, Mal had taken the mike and glibly gave them the name of a freighter he knew was in Anchorhead getting overhauled. The bluff worked, and the raptor made an uneventful landing at the spaceport.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that nausea during the F-T-L jump", Inara said to Matt, "but I am impressed at how quickly you get from one place to another with it".

"You almost get used to it", Matt confided, "which is why I try not to eat greasy food before going out on patrol".

As Mal and Inara got out of the raptor, two others dressed in civilian clothing – a man and a woman - got out with them. They looked to Mal and Inara.

"Follow me", Mal said as he led the party to the spaceport gate.

Higgins watched the party leave the landing pad, then powered up his ship. Unmarked or not, the sight of an unfamiliar-looking ship was going to gain attention, and at the moment, that could not be allowed.

As Mal and the others left the terminal, he turned around to see the raptor lift off. As it roared away, he spoke.

"With your accents, you could gain unwelcome attention, so no talking until we get to our office, okay?"

The two PEGASUS officers nodded.

With Mal and Inara leading the other two, they walked several blocks through Axiom. Both of the newcomers were looking in wonder at the bustling township. There were people walking along the streets, motor vehicles cruising by, street vendors hawking their wares in three different languages, signs and lights aplenty. For them, being in a human city on a planet was something that they hadn't experienced in a long time…

After a few more minutes walk, they came up to a nondescript warehouse. The building had a sign written both in Caprican (English) and Gemonese (Mandarin): SERENITY FREIGHTWAYS.

"Home, sweet home", Mal said as he entered.

The foyer was rather spartanly furnished, but Mal said, "This way, we don't pretend to be more that we are: a freighter crew, plus a base of operations gives us some respectability".

As they walked in, Zoe walked up to the party, saying, "Mal! Inara! It's good to see you back".

"It's good to be back", Mal replied.

"Who are your guests?" Zoe asked next.

"I'd like to introduce Major Glen Sanders and Lieutenant Ginnie Annan from the Battlestar PEGASUS", Mal said, "They are here to get some on-planet information for their commander".

Zoe offered her hand to Glen and Ginnie. Both shook it. Just then, Kaylee came bouncing down.

"Captain! Inara! Good to see you! We was getting worried".

"Glen and Ginnie here are going to be our guests for a bit", Mal said, "They are from the PEGASUS and are here to scope things out".

"Oh, I wish that I could have been with you", Kaylee pouted, "I'd have loved to have seen that ship! Shiny?"

"Very Shiny", Mal confirmed.

"Oh, Inara", Kaylee said next, "There are some messages for you in your shuttle. Your clients are getting nervous 'bout you're not responding".

"A companion's work is never done", Inara sighed, "so if you'll excuse me?"

Mal, Glen, and Ginnie watched Inara walk out of the foyer and back into the street.

"She uses a shuttle for her work", Mal explained, "and she has quite a list of clients here on Miranda".

"Hey Mal!", Jayne said as he entered the foyer, "I hope you got something for your efforts. Money's getting a little tight".

Mal threw down a rucksack, which Jayne opened. Jayne whistled as he pulled out a couple of bars of gold and platinum, courtesy of the Battlestar PEGASUS.

"Now that's what I call 'something'!" Jayne exclaimed.

"Where's the good doctor and his sister?", Mal asked next, referring to Simon and River.

"They're back on board SERENITY", Zoe replied, "River is watching the spaceport crews servicing her and Simon has been stocking up on medical supplies".

Mal detected a degree of sadness in Zoe's voice. Her late husband Wash would have been at the spaceport overseeing SERENITY'S servicing, but since he was dead – thanks to the Reavers – the pilot's duties had devolved to River Tam, who had a natural flair for flying.

"Okay. Well, let's get our guests settled in", Mal said, "Jayne, if you can get them bars over to the bank and have them exchanged for local currency, we can take care of back pay, get some extra things done for SERENITY, and some extra aside for us to enjoy".

Grinning, Jayne picked up the rucksack. As he left, Mal said, "Don't deviate to a local bar. We still have work to do before pleasure".

Muttering "Killjoy" under his breath, Jayne left the foyer and headed out into the street.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – MAIN GALLEY**

The Cylon spy had been thinking a lot upon Cain's revelation in the landing bay. The thirteenth tribe! If only it could get a message to the Cylons out looking for the GALACTICA and the other survivors. However, the fact that they were in uncharted space with no way to retrace their steps made that – for the time being – impossible.

After a while, it made a decision. True, there may not be any Cylons anywhere remotely nearby, but they could come tomorrow. Therefore, it made sense to try and find out everything about the Thirteenth tribe so that if and when the Cylon war machine did come out this way, the information gleaned would be priceless. From its original mission of saboteur, it now became a spy, and this spy would make sure that it would not be discovered. And if so, then in this large outpost of humanity, it would be easier to hide than here on the PEGASUS. It mouthed a silent prayer to God that it would be successful…


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**IAV SUMTER – SECURE COMMUNICATIONS SECTION**

"Encode this and send it top priority to the President, with copies for the Prime Minister, and the Admiralty", Ambassador Barrett ordered.

"Yes, Mr. Ambassador", the Communications officer replied.

"Well, looks like things are going well", Barrett commented to the operative, who was with him.

"Commander Cain did come across to me a realist", the operative replied, "and given the choices that he had, it's not surprising that he accepted our offer".

"But what induced him to select Miranda as the planet of choice for the PEGASUS to go to?" Barrett mused.

"I expect that he has his reasons", the operative replied, "but it's good news for us as its remote from the Core Worlds, under-populated despite the aggressive settlement program, plus we already have a presence there. Played correctly, this should eventually overshadow the negative publicity of the Miranda exposé".

Cain had communicated an hour previously informing Ambassador Barrett as to his decision. Barrett and the operative had spent the following hour composing a brief to be sent to the President and the Prime Minister, so that Parliament could be kept informed.

"Well, as soon as we get our instructions for formalizing this agreement, we can proceed", Barrett said. As Parliament was a considerable distance away from their location, it would take some time for the message to reach them, and of course, it would take time for a reply to get back. All they could really do at this time was to wait.

**IAV SUMTER – CAPTAIN TAU'S CABIN**

Unknown to either Barrett or the operative, Captain Tau had his own secure communications facility. He had used it to send his own brief about his visit to the Battlestar PEGASUS – and Cain's subsequent decision – to the Director of Blue Sun Corporation.

"I'd like to see how the Director is going to react to this", Tau mused to himself, "Also given that the Tams are there on Miranda as well. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone…"

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"I don't suppose it came as much of a surprise", Tolen commented to Cain as he looked at the latest readouts from the DRADIS console.

"The crew made their decision", Cain replied, "but by their deciding to remain here, we have the opportunity to help the Alliance prepare for both the GALACTICA… and the Cylons should they come nosing around this area".

"I hope the Alliance realizes that if the Cylons do come anytime soon, that the PEGASUS may be their only hope", Tolen replied, "so they better not start taking apart the PEGASUS once she's in dry dock".

"We'll just have to take pains to remind them", Cain replied, "besides, at the present time, only we have the knowledge of how to manufacture Tyllium, and if and when they copy our F-T-L drive, they are going to need that fuel".

It had been two days since Cain's speech to the crew. The crew had considered, then gone to their respective department heads. After Cain had spoken in more detail to the Department Heads regarding the crew's questions, and the pros and cons of the Alliance offer, they had gone back to the crew and relayed Cain's replies. The vote was taken a day later. The result was a landslide for remaining and settling in Alliance territory.

"So what will you do, once everything is taken care of and we settle on Miranda?" Tolen asked Cain.

"You know that I wanted to retire on Caprica and open a bar before the Cylons screwed up those plans", Cain replied, "so perhaps I'll do that on Miranda. Of course, I may end up being an advisor in the Alliance Navy. There's time enough to decide".

"Yeah, I suppose", Tolen replied, "though I can see that the crew are already thinking about their choices".

He gestured to the crew in CIC. Their demeanor had changed. Nothing outward, but both Cain and Tolen sensed that the attitudes of the people here were along the lines of the fleet after the first Cylon war, when impending demobilizations of the majority of the fleet personnel made people think about civilian life, and their future.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS - SILVER SPAR BRIEFING ROOM**

"Okay, People", Syke said to the assembled pilots, "I know that very soon we'll be facing civilian life, but until then, we're still military, and we still keep our heads in the game. Capeche?

The pilots of three of the four viper squadrons who were present settled down. While Ratchet's squadron was on standby alert and was not here at the briefing, they could still hear Syke's briefing in their vipers through their headsets. Also Hunter's reconnaissance squadron (those elements not on patrol) was on standby in case of immediate deployment orders.

"Any idea when we'll be heading to Miranda, Bojay?", Tom Sanders asked. He knew that his older brother Glen was already there… much to his envy.

"The Commander will let you know, Blister", Syke replied, "It is my guess that there will be some kind of formalization of the agreement, which means probably a treaty signing or some like ceremony, and perhaps even a fly-by aerial salute, so don't start putting away your piloting skills just yet".

There was a chuckle from the assembled pilots at that last comment. True, they are great pilots, but they were also human, and all of them had dreams about settling down to a normal life.

For her part, Tricia was sitting quietly looking at Syke. She wondered what it would be like living with him in their own home and raising a family. A far cry from flying and fighting in vipers not knowing if you'd ever get back alive from a patrol. It actually represented a radical shift in her way of thinking…

**MIRANDA – AXIOM SPACEPORT – SERENITY FREIGHTWAYS BUILDING.**

"You know, Ginnie", Glen Sanders said as he put down the newspaper with it's ever-scrolling lettering, "One could really get used to being on a planet, breathing fresh air, and enjoying new surroundings".

"I know, Major", Annan replied, "but remember what the Alliance did to the air, and what happened to the first settlers here".

She had been briefed by Mal Reynolds as to what had happened to the first settlers on Miranda when the Alliance introduced the 'Pax' chemical to the atmosphere. While the dead settlers had long since been buried and the population centers had been renovated and repopulated, the fact was not lost on anyone that the Alliance had not only killed a lot of people directly, they did so also indirectly because the Reavers had also resulted from the Pax.

"Which is why the Alliance took pains to get Miranda back up and running again", Sanders pointed out.

Both of them were sitting in a back office poring over the news and magazine articles from the local and off-planet news network. It gave them both a good look at how the Alliance operated.

"The core worlds really look thoroughly developed", Sanders noted, "so I'm not surprised that they are paying more attention to the outer worlds of this system".

"After that civil war of theirs, I'm not surprised", Annan replied, "but this unabashed free enterprise philosophy of theirs does have their detractors, and those people who don't like it come out here to avoid being overwhelmed by consumerism and government regulation. So when the Alliance reasserts their control, it creates more resentment. We could find ourselves in the middle of something messy".

"That's very astute, Little Lady", Mal Reynolds said as he walked into the office, "Folk out here don't take too kindly to the Alliance at times. Still, given the choice between them and the Reavers, I'll stick with the Alliance… as long as they don't stop me doing my business", he added.

"You love the free-lancing life, Captain?" Sanders inquired.

"It's the nearest thing to independence that we can get these days", Mal replied, "and I wasn't too excited as to our setting roots here, but given that we made fools out of Parliament over the Miranda exposé, it seemed best to have a base here so that other folks can see we're not being harassed-like".

"The exposé made you folk heroes then", Annan asked, though more as a statement. Mal nodded.

"Anyway, you both told me you wanted to look at a location down south?" Mal asked next, referring to Miranda's unpopulated southern continent.

"Yeah", Sanders replied, "Commander Cain says that down there is a large supply of the ore needed to make our fuel. If we can get there and get some core samples, I can refine some with some of the goodies I brought in my bag and see if it is of the quality our scans indicated".

"Easy to refine?" Mal asked.

"Actually, yes", Sanders answered, "All that one really needs is to get the impurities out of the ore, and add a catalyst compound to liquefy the ore and thus turn it into fuel".

"What kind of catalyst?" Mal asked next.

"Sorry, Captain", Sanders replied, "Commander Cain asked me to keep that secret until he gets the PEGASUS here".

"Well, times-a-waitin'", Mal said, "Let's get you two over to SERENITY and we'll use the spare shuttle to get you both down to where you want. Thanks to those metals Commander Cain got us, we've got plenty of fuel and SERENITY is a little better off".

"Glad to be of assistance, Captain", Annan said.

"By the way, just in case there are Alliance folk out there undercover-like, I'll be using your first names from here on out", Mal advised. Both Sanders and Annan nodded.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER – TWO DAYS LATER**

"That's great news, Mr. Ambassador", Cain said into his mike.

"Parliament voted overwhelmingly to welcome you into the Alliance, Commander", Barrett said, "and preparations are under way to get the assets you need to Miranda so that your crew can get settled".

"And the dry-dock?" Cain asked next, "After all, the PEGASUS is slightly overdue for an overhaul… make that a refit!"

"That is also being taken care of", Barrett assured Cain, "but we do have to do a couple of things first?"

"Oh? Like what?" Cain asked.

"The IAV WHEDON is en-route to our position right now ", Barrett said, "On board is the Alliance Secretary of State and the Speaker of the Parliament of the Alliance. They are carrying with them a draft treaty to formalize your entry into the Alliance and to establish your presence on Miranda".

"Okay, so it's a formal ceremony of sorts", Cain replied.

"That is correct, Commander", Barrett confirmed, "There will probably be some haggling on both sides as to the finer points of the treaty, but once signed, the WHEDON, SUMTER, DORTMUNDER, DOMINION, and DEVISOR will escort the PEGASUS to Miranda. I know that your F-T-L can get you there in an instant, but we don't want to unduly surprise the Miranda inhabitants".

"From your maps, Miranda is five days away at full sub-light speed", Cain noted.

Barrett blinked. At full speed, an Alliance Cruiser would only be able to make the trip in seven days.

"Well, if you don't mind taking seven days instead, this will give us more time to get the dry-dock, and the other supplies to Miranda by the time we get there", Barrett replied.

"Well, I don't mind", Cain replied, "besides, it will also be a good opportunity to get to know each other better".

"That's the spirit, Commander", Barrett said, "The WHEDON should be arriving in two days. Once here, we can get things moving. Once again, Welcome to the Alliance, Commander".

As the link was terminated, the people in CIC stood and applauded Cain. Cain waved his hand to silence the clapping.

"I know a lot of you are itching to become civilians again", Cain said with a smile, "but until this treaty is signed, and we're actually there on Miranda, we're still military, and that means we still keep our eyes peeled for Cylons, or other threats, so let's get back to our jobs".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – OFFICER'S CLUB**

In the Officer's Club, a number of Silver Spar Wing's pilots were toasting their imminent new lives with the Alliance, and settling down planet-side on Miranda. Over at one table, Gene Syke was quietly chatting with Grant Wise.

"You know, CAG" Captain Wise said, "I wish that I could have gone with Ginnie to Miranda. Why did Comms volunteer himself to go?"

"Come on, Zapper", Syke gently chided, "You know that Ginnie Annan only has eyes for you. Glen Sanders is competent, plus he has a degree in geology. He's the best person we have to confirm the scans regarding the tyllium deposits".

"I suppose", Wise reluctantly concluded, "but Ginnie is enjoying breathing fresh air and planet under her feet while I'm stuck here!"

"Sorry. Besides", Syke added, "I need you here leading your squadron. Remember: until we get the official word of a signing, anything goes. We're still an active military outfit and you are one of my squadron commanders".

"Sounds like you want to stay in the military once we're on Miranda", Wise commented with a smile, "Doesn't a normal civilian life appeal to you?"

"Yes it does, Zapper", Syke replied, "but we're not there yet. Ask me again when we get to Miranda".


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**PLANET MIRANDA – SOUTHERN CONTINENT**

Sanders quietly whistled as he looked at the data from his portable ore analyzer.

"That good, huh?" Jayne Cobb asked as he whittled a piece of tree branch with his dagger.

"The ore doesn't come as pure as this", Sanders replied, "with the addition of the catalyst, this becomes ultra-high grade tyllium".

"This ore is an uncommon form of bauxite on other planets", Simon Tam commented, "One would never think that this could become a fuel of sorts".

"Generations ago, back on Caprica", Ginnie Annan explained, "A scientist named Frances Maroni was trying to create a synthetic ingredient in plastics manufacture. His chemical compound splashed on a small sculpture made of tyllium – what you call Bauxite – that was on his desk and the reaction created the fuel. One of the greatest discoveries of the Colonies, and it was all by accident".

"So the fuel was created before the F-T-L drive?" Mal asked. He was sitting on a fold-out chair he had brought from the shuttle that had carried them to this unpopulated part of Miranda watching Sanders and Annan do their assaying.

"The F-T-L drive had been developed some years earlier, but the jumps that could be made with it were quite limited. It was basically because that the best fuels available to us then were not efficient enough. Tyllium has a virtual one-hundred percent power efficiency ratio, which made the F-T-L range immensely longer", Annan replied.

"As the F-T-L technology was perfected over the years – as well as our sub-light drive systems – Tyllium became the only fuel that could be used", Sanders finished.

"And this deposit of ore could make Miranda a rather important asset in this part of space", Mal surmised, "which could mean lots of money and power to those who control it".

"That's correct, Captain…. I mean, Mal", Sanders confirmed, "which is why Commander Cain likes the idea of the PEGASUS establishing Miranda as our new home planet. Gives us an edge in dealing with the Alliance if we hold the secret to how to refine it".

Mal silently pondered the revelation of Miranda's potential boon. It was a pity that they did not know of this back during the Unification War. The existence of the F-T-L drive, and its fuel source in the hands of the independents would have radically changed how the war went. Given that independent sentiment was still somewhat alive and well out here, perhaps an opportunity might present itself to challenge the Alliance once again… and if not, at least their presence on Miranda gave them a chance to become wealthy once the tyllium fuel was being produced…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER **

"The shuttle from the WHEDON is on its way over to us, Commander", Tolen reported, "You want to have a viper flight escort them in?"

"I don't think the VIP's would like two armed space superiority fighters sheparding them, Geoff", Cain replied, "but have the vipers we have currently deploy continue their formation flying around the PEGASUS. If nothing else, it should impress our guests as to our flying skills".

The IAV WELDON had arrived to join the DORTMUNDER and SUMTER two hours previously. After communicating their greetings to Commander Cain, they had informed him that a shuttle carrying the Speaker of Parliament and the Secretary of State would be coming over for the purpose of negotiating the treaty of accession to the Alliance.

Cain wished that Sanders had remained on the PEGASUS as his negotiating skills were very good, but his assaying skills were needed more to confirm the tyllium readings on Miranda. The secure transmission from Miranda earlier from Sanders confirming the high quality and quantity of the ore on Miranda served to confirm to Cain the choice of Miranda as their initial place of settlement. Of course the question of when to let the Alliance in on this data would be something to think about when negotiations started…

"PEGASUS Core Command to Incoming Shuttle from IAV WELDON", Petty Officer Briggs – who was standing in for Lieutenant Annan – communicated over the unicom, "you are clear to enter the port-side landing bay. Alight on the illuminated landing pad, then power down your drive so that we can elevate you down into the hanger deck".

"Understood, PEGASUS", the voice of the pilot of the WHELDON shuttle communicated.

**WHELDON SHUTTLE – EN ROUTE TO BATTLESTAR PEGASUS**

Looking through the cockpit viewport, Secretary of State Hyrum Cameron and Parliamentary Speaker Sophia Howell gazed in awe at the impressive bulk of the PEGASUS.

"Now THAT is a warship", Cameron breathed, "You can see she's been in a few scrapes, but she's still a graceful bird".

"And deadly", Howell added, "judging from the reports from Barrett's party, as well as the sight of those fighters of hers".

"Vipers, that's what they are called", Captain Tau said. He was piloting the shuttle. When the WHELDON had arrived, Barrett, Tau, and the operative had taken a shuttle from the SUMTER to the WHELDON to give both Cameron and Howell a briefing on what to expect. Barrett and the operative remained on the WHELDON in order to brief the command crew".

"Well, if all goes well, we will be having warships like the PEGASUS and these vipers as well, if they are as good as your report says, Captain", Cameron replied. Cameron – during the Unification War – was an admiral in charge of the Alliance fleet task force that fought the final decisive campaign against the Independent planetary stronghold of Hera. The final battle on Hera – the Battle of Serenity Valley – led to the end of the war and thus marked the rise of Cameron's political career.

"It is going to be interesting meeting this Commander Cain", Howell commented, "He sounds like quite a leader to keep his command intact after his home planets being destroyed".

"A military leader doesn't necessarily make for a good politician", Cameron pointed out, "but we'll see how the negotiations go. If nothing else we hold the long term advantage and I'm sure Cain realizes that fact very well".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – MAIN GALLEY**

The Cylon agent was busy helping to get the formal banquet room ready to host the incoming VIP's from the WHELDON. It had considered the possibility of poisoning the food and thus provoking a conflict between the Alliance cruisers and the PEGASUS, but given that (a) the PEGASUS would be destroyed and it with it and (b) that it knew next to nothing about the Alliance or local space, it surmised that for now, it was best to play a waiting game.

Good things come to those who wait, a Number Six had told it, and intelligence gathering required patience. At least the listening devices it had planted under the main banquet table will give it the opportunity to listen in on the initial discussions. What it would do next would depend in a large part on what would be said…

**IAV WHELDON – BRIDGE**

"Captain Tau reports that he is alighting on PEGASUS", Commandant Kemp said to Ambassador Barrett.

"Have the DOMINION and the DEVISOR reported their combat readiness?" Barrett asked. Kemp nodded his head.

"I would have preferred to be over there myself", the operative commented, "but politics is best left to politicians".

"Cameron is not just a politician; he's also a retired Admiral", Barrett pointed out, "so he should be a good judge of Cain. Still, if we don't hear from either him or Speaker Howell at the appointed time, then politics will have to give way to more direct action…"

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – HANGER BAY SIX**

"Welcome on board the Battlestar PEGASUS", Cain greeted the guests as they alighted from the shuttle, "and welcome back on board, Captain Tau", he added.

"You are Commander Cain?" Cameron asked. Cain nodded.

"I'm Secretary of State Hyrum Cameron, representing the President of the Alliance", Cameron said, "and this is my colleague Sophia Howell, Speaker of Parliament".

Cain stared at Howell for a second before offering his hand. Sophia Howell was quite a beautiful woman. She was in her fifties, but she was very graceful.

As Howell took Cain's hand, she looked intently at the figure of Garris Cain. He struck her as a highly competent person, not to mention quite handsome. She smiled as she spoke:

"Thank you for allowing us on board your ship, Commander", she said in a sweet voice, "I could see that the PEGASUS has been in a few battles, but she still looks like she can fight!"

"Battlestars are designed to take a lot of punishment, Madam Speaker", Cain replied formally, "which came in handy more than once since our exodus from the Colonies".

"Well, I hope that you and your crew find a new home here in the Alliance", Howell said next, "We have so much to offer each other".

"That's what we're all here for", Cain replied.

Cain then introduced his party of negotiators. He had brought with him Gene Syke and Wyatt Thyssen. Cain explained that Colonel Tolen would be running the PEGASUS from Core Command during the negotiations and while Thyssen was on the PEGASUS negotiating team, Captain Engle would be running Engineering.

Actually, Tolen was not just 'running things': he was also busy trying to track down the Cylon agent. He could not discount that infiltrator trying something against the VIP's. He had marines guarding critical areas, and also both the galley and the banquet room, but for all that, he worried about anything happening to their guests as the repercussions from that could be disastrous…

"Now that we have the introductions out of the way, I'd like to invite you to a luncheon", Cain said next, "then before we start our negotiations, we would like to take you on a tour of the PEGASUS so that you can see what we have to offer. I'm sure that Captain Tau has already given you some information about us already, but I'm also sure that you would probably want to see things for yourself".

"You are very correct, Commander", Cameron replied, "so I guess it's after you?"

Nodding, Cain gestured to the open hatch. With two marines staying a discrete distance behind them, the party left the hanger, heading to the banquet room.

**PLANET MIRANDA – AXIOM SPACEPORT - DOWNTOWN**

After the shuttle had returned to SERENITY, both Sanders and Annan had returned to the office to make their report transmission to the PEGASUS. While Annan was manning the wireless awaiting any follow-up instructions, Inara – who was sitting in the office at the time – had invited Sanders to walk with her in town. Sanders jumped at the chance.

Now, two hours later, Sanders fully realized what it was like to act as a civilian once again.

"Thank you for taking me on this sight-seeing tour of Axiom, Miss Inara", Sanders said, "It really seems like it's been forever since I've been in a city on a planet".

"When was the last time, Glen?", Inara asked.

"That was at Picon Fleet Headquarters", Sanders replied, "It was before the PEGASUS' last deployment before the Cylons attacked. My fiancé was stationed there as well. She didn't make it", he concluded quietly.

"I'm very sorry, Glen", Inara stated. Sanders paused for a few seconds before he spoke again.

"Everyone on the PEGASUS lost family and friends", Sanders said, "Commander Cain was lucky in that his daughter Tricia Cain was visiting the PEGASUS at the time. I was lucky too in that my brother Tom survived the attack. We met when the PEGASUS made contact with another group of Fleet survivors. He's on the PEGASUS now as a viper pilot. But so many others were not so lucky".

"Well, before long, you and your brother will be here on Miranda building a new life, so perhaps things will work out for you both in the long run", Inara consoled.

Sanders nodded, and then by way of changing the subject, proceeded to ask Inara about her profession as a companion, and how she had ended up with Mal Reynolds on SERENITY. Inara's explanation as to a companion's life, and her stories of various escapades on board SERENITY fascinated Sanders. Even without the space adventures, not even the first ranked socialators of Geminon could compare with a person like Inara, he realized.

"It must have restricted you somewhat though, choosing to base yourself on Miranda, given the distance this planet is from the Core Worlds", Sanders said.

"There are a number of clients here, Glen", Inara replied, "but with the frequent freight trips that Mal does with SERENITY, I still get a chance to do frequent business with clients on other planets".

"Well, this walking about has given me an appetite", Sanders said next, "Perhaps you could recommend a restaurant or an eating establishment".

"Well, I do have a place in mind", Inara said as she pointed to the spaceport where SERENITY was docked, "I have quite an assortment of foods in my shuttle, and I'd like to show you my place of residence", she added with a coy smile.

Sanders hoped that the slow flush building up did not go beyond his collar…


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – CIC CONFERENCE ROOM**

"That was a wonderful luncheon, Commander Cain" Howell complimented after she sat down at the conference table. Cameron and Tau were seated beside her while Cain, Syke, and Thyssen took their seats on the other side of the table.

"Not to mention the tour of the PEGASUS", Cameron added, "This is quite an impressive warship. If I have my way, this battlestar will be the yardstick for future warships of the Alliance Navy".

"Your cruisers do look impressive enough", Syke commented, gesturing to the viewport that showed the bulk of the IAV WHELDON.

"But your ship shows ruggedness, and by its design, you can almost feel the power that a battlestar can project", Cameron replied, "and speaking personally as a former gunship pilot, I'd love to be able to take a viper for a spin".

Syke smiled, seeing the gleam in Cameron's eye.

"The PEGASUS really is a marvel", Howell said nest, "a well-built weapons platform and a base ship for strike ships like your vipers and raptors. It really epitomizes the doctrine of projecting ample firepower quickly and efficiently".

"The PEGASUS, ironically enough", Cain replied, "Is an older model of battlestar. This battlestar is of the GALACTICA-class. The PEGASUS and GALACTICA were the last operational warships of this class in the Colonial Fleet and were due to be decommissioned when the Cylons attacked".

"Those Cylons are really…. Unexpected", Howell said, grasping for words.

"Especially their ability to have bio-formed spacecraft", Cameron added.

Cain nodded. As part of the tour, they were shown some of the captured Cylon ordinance which was kept in a disused hanger bay in the starboard pod. As well as a few blasted Cylon centurions, there was the Cylon shuttlecraft that they had captured during the attack on the phony mine that the Cylons were setting up as a trap, plus a scimitar-shaped Cylon Raider that had been salvaged after a previous battle. He also showed them combat footage of the recent battle of Gomoray, where several base stars and a resurrection ship had been destroyed.

"Our genetic and bio-weapons technology can't even begin to approach the level of those ships", Cameron commented, "and those centurions! Those automatons are real killing machines.."

"A good thing then that those centurions are deactivated. But you should know that the Cylons had also developed humanoids to infiltrate our colonies", Cain said, "We had found one earlier on board and killed it. We think that these infiltrators had managed to penetrate our secrets in order to make their attack so successful".

"You think that there could be humanoid Cylons still in your crew?" Howell asked next with some concern in her voice.

"When we were with the battlestar HYPERION, Admiral Tillman gave us a lot of data regarding the seven known Cylon types, plus bio-data that our medical section has been making use of. That data will be given to you so you can run your own checks, so don't worry", Cain assured her.

"You had also mentioned that the Cylons could hack into your computer systems, which explains why the PEGASUS doesn't have much sophistication in that area", Cameron commented.

"That's one area of concern that the Alliance will need to address", Cain stated, "judging from the transmissions that we and our scouts have picked up", he concluded, referring to the openness of the signals indicating a large computer network.

"We have sophisticated means to avoid cyber-attacks on our systems, Commander", Cameron replied, "because a lot of criminals do try to subvert our systems, and we keep countering them – successfully so far".

"Still, given what the Cylons managed to do to our colonies, you can't afford to be too complacent", Cain warned, "As we simply don't know how far we jumped, we can't guarantee that the Cylons won'e ever get here".

"The Alliance will certainly take notice of your concerns, Commander", Howell assured him, "but in any case, let's start getting down to business…"

**PLANET MIRANDA - AXIOM SPACEPORT - FREIGHTER SERENITY – INARA'S SHUTTLE.**

Sanders lay beside Inara in her bed, tired but radiant after some of the most passionate lovemaking he had experienced. Inara lay beside him, gently stroking his hair.

"It has been so long…", Sanders softly said, "Thank you so very much, Inara".

"It was my pleasure, Glen", Inara replied equally softly.

"And I do have to complement you on your cooking as well", Sanders added with a smile.

Inara giggled some at his comment. Inara had prepared a large repast that Sanders had found incredibly tasty. Inara had explained that Companions had to master culinary skills from most of the planets in the Alliance, and she had gone to the trouble of preparing samples from a number of worlds. Sanders had loved the different dishes, and he enjoyed drinking Tea, which was a beverage not known to the Colonials.

"May I ask you something, Inara?" Sanders asked next.

"Certainly, Glen", Inara replied.

"As a companion, you charge for your services, and – judging from the last couple of hours – you deserve every cubit you get", he started.

"Cubit?" Inara asked.

"That is the coinage we use in the colonies", Sanders explained, "so anyway, why did you make me lunch, then make love to me without asking for any payment? I'm not being rude or ungrateful", he added hastily, "but I am curious why".

"Glen", Inara replied, "You reminded me of a person I was in love with a long time ago. He died in the Unification War. I had resolved not to love a person again so deeply as I was scared that I would lose him as well, and that it would also compromise my profession, but when I saw you, it awoke memories".

"Have I compromised your profession?" Glen asked.

Inara leaned over and kissed Sanders deeply. Sanders drank in the kiss from this remarkable woman. After their lips had separated, Inara spoke again.

"What do you think of my profession?" Inara asked, "please be honest".

"I've never given much thought, to be honest", Sanders replied, "I mean, prostitution existed in the Colonies, and also in the civilian ships that the HYPERION was protecting, but you've shown me that a companion is more than just a receptacle for men's lust. I think that you provide a necessary service, as and you and your fellow companions are regarded highly in this society, it bears out my opinion".

"I'm glad that you don't think I'm just a whore", Inara replied, surprising Sanders by her use of that undignified term.

"You've been called that?" Sanders asked.

"Now and then", Inara replied, "but it goes with what I do. The people who use it tend to be either very jealous of our clients, or are completely ignorant as to everything that companions are trained to do".

"Well, I'm glad that you have taken the time to show me – rather more in-depth than I had originally hoped – what you do", Sanders replied with a chuckle. Inara laughed with him.

"When do you relieve Ginnie on the wireless, Glen?" Inara asked next. Sanders looked at his chronometer.

"Not for another two hours", Sanders replied.

"Good", Inara replied as she sat up, enrapturing Sanders with her exquisite nude figure, "then before you have to head back to the office, allow me to show you a little more of what companions do…"

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – CIC CONFERENCE ROOM – THREE HOURS LATER.**

"The trade-offs are certainly beneficial to both the Alliance and your crew", Howell said, "and rest assured; if any other elements of your people come to our space, we'll find them sanctuary".

"I'm sure that a number of the PEGASUS crew will prefer to advise and assist the Alliance Navy on technical matters pertaining to our technology rather than settling down", Thyssen said, "and to be honest, I'm very curious about your laser and pulse weaponry. If we are both mutually open with each other, things will be very good for all concerned".

"Plus making sure that the Cylons – if they ever come here – won't be successful with you as they were with us", Syke added.

"I'm glad that you had mentioned honesty, Major Thyssen", Cameron noted, "So perhaps we can ask for some undiluted honesty in answering a question that had been concerning me".

"Ask then", Cain prompted.

"Admiral Hendrix back on Ariel had communicated that you had sent several manned and unmanned probes into Alliance space when you first arrived, correct?" Cameron asked.

"That's correct", Cain confirmed, "We had to find out where we were after that large, uncontrolled F-T-L jump".

"And you got a fair amount of data as to the various planets in the Alliance, right?" Cameron asked.

"Yes", Cain replied, "We were very pleasantly surprised that Humanity had gotten so well established. Certainly on more worlds than the Colonies".

"So my question is this: Why did you choose Miranda over the other planets? And – and please forgive me for being so blunt – it's more than Ambassador Barrett's very real concern as to culture shock to both sides, so why?" Cameron asked.

Cain paused. Cameron was an obvious military type as well as a diplomat, so trying to string him along in a lie could make things more difficult. Cain looked at Thyssen, who nodded.

"The Unification War was something that we picked up information on, plus other data pertaining to the Alliance that made us pause", Cain stated carefully, "such as the Pax gas originally introduced to Miranda, the Reavers, and unauthorized brain surgery practiced on adolescents, for starters".

Cameron's, Howell's, and Tau's eyes widened at this revelation. How did Cain know? Cameron quickly got control of himself and bade Cain to continue.

"It is not without some genuine concern therefore that the possibility exists that we could simply be used by the Alliance, then just as simply be disposed of once we are of no further use", Cain continued, "so I chose Miranda for two reasons: first, the planet is in the public eye from your citizenry because of the recent exposé, and secondly, Miranda has abundant supplies of the ore that is the primary ingredient for Tyllium fuel, which – as you have been told – is the only fuel that our F-T-L and sub-light drives can use".

"How did you get your information…" Tau started to demand before Cameron raised his hand to cut him off.

"I'm not going to waste your time or mine in denials, Commander", Cameron said, "and I do appreciate your honesty regarding your choice of Miranda. Your presence there has already been agreed to by Parliament, and you will have my word that no harm will come to any of you – either the ones who settle on Miranda, or the others who choose to join our Navy, but surely your Colonial government had clandestine agencies that did work that would be regarded as questionable by your public?"

"Yes, we did", Cain answered, "after all, it was one of those agencies that created the Cylons. Still, coming into your society – and therefore being at your mercy – made us believe that we needed some kind of guarantee. Miranda's high profile, plus our knowledge of how to make Tyllium fuel gives us that guarantee".

Howell nodded slowly. She had underestimated Cain. Not only was he an adroit military man, he made quite a politician as well. She idly wondered if she could induce Cain to run for a seat in Parliament some time…

For his part, Tau was trying hard to rein in his emotions. Blue Sun Corporation had invested a lot of time and money into the experiments that Cain had alluded to. He must have been in contact with one of the Tams, he thought. This type of intelligence gathering on Cain's part showed that he was both resourceful, and potentially dangerous. He would have to let the Director of Blue Sun know about this…

Cameron thought for a few seconds, and then said, "Regardless of our respective societies' dirty little secrets, the bottom line is that you need sanctuary, and we need your technology to both protect humanity against the Cylons, and to also assist in finding the other survivors from your holocaust. For that reason, I see no problem in our signing our agreements and in recommending the ratification of the treaty to the President".

"And parliament will surely endorse the ratification", Howell added, "and on behalf of Parliament, I want to welcome you officially into the Alliance both as citizens, and allies.

Cameron stood, and offered his hand to Cain. Cain stood, then solemnly shook Cameron's hand, then shook Howell's.

"On behalf of my crew, I thank you for the welcome, sanctuary, and assistance", Cain replied.

"So say we all", Thyssen and Syke solemnly intoned.


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**PLANET MIRANDA – AXIOM SPACEPORT – SERENITY FREIGHTWAYS OFFICE**

"I just got the word from Commander Cain", Sanders told Annan and the others after leaving the room where the wireless as located, "Both the PEGASUS crew and the Parliament of the Alliance have voted to approve the treaty negotiated between Commander Cain and the Alliance representatives".

"Well, notwithstanding that I trust the Alliance about as far as I can drop-kick a safe, I'd like to offer my congratulations on your being the latest settlers in our part of space", Mal Reynolds said as he stood.

Mal solemnly shook hands with Annan and Sanders, then congratulations followed from the others.

"So what's next?" Annan wanted to know.

"According to the message, the formal signing will take place on board the PEGASUS tomorrow", Sanders replied, "and then the PEGASUS will be escorted here to Miranda".

"What else?" Mal asked.

"The Alliance is heading out here with the materials to establish the new settlement for us on the Southern Continent", Sanders replied, "not to mention the dry-docking facilities needed to get the PEGASUS refitted".

"Where is the new settlement to be established?" Simon Tam asked.

"From what Commander Cain told me, the Alliance has already instructed the Governor of Miranda to give us all the support – logistical and otherwise – needed to get the new settlement established", Sanders answered, "It will be on the southern continent where the highest concentration of the tyllium – I mean bauxite – ore is located, so it will also be the site of our mining and refining setup".

"They're not wasting any time", Jayne said, "So why don't we get our base here reestablished at this new location so that we can cash in on some of this?"

Mal thought about what Jayne said. If they got there first, then SERENITY would be in a position to help space-lift supplies and other items for the new settlement before anyone else could get involved. Also, since Commander Cain had been favorably inclined towards him and his ship, there would be that added protection…

"So when is the PEGASUS due to get here?" Mal asked next.

"After the treaty signing, the PEGASUS will be escorted to Miranda by four Alliance cruisers", Sanders said, "so anything that the Reavers might try will probably make them think again with that much firepower".

Mal thought about this. Four Alliance Cruisers and an Alliance Navy dry-dock facility. All this pointed to a stepped up Alliance presence on Miranda. The fact that the Alliance was being so accommodating spoke volumes to the value that they placed on the Battlestar PEGASUS, and her crew. That might make things better for the colonials, but what about the SERENITY, he wondered. After all, he had purchased SERENITY for the purpose of escaping Alliance influence…

**PLANET SIHNON- WHITE SUN SYSTEM - ALLIANCE NAVAL ORBITAL FACILITY **

"How long will it take to get the dry-dock out to Miranda?" Admiral Hendrix asked the yardmaster.

"We've been given the authorization from Admiralty to use two fleet tenders rather than one for towing, so we should have the facility there within seven days", the yardmaster replied.

"You've got all the personnel necessary?" Hendrix asked next.

"They are all bunked on the tenders", the yardmaster assured him, "but I am curious as to why you added so many technicians to the manifest, Admiral".

"Classified", Hendrix replied shortly, "and also expedite getting the sentinel post ready for dispatch to Miranda as soon as the fitting-out is completed".

"Yes, Admiral", the yardmaster acknowledged.

The yardmaster looked at the impressive leviathan of the orbital dry-dock. This model was the largest type, suited to service and overhaul a DORTMASTER-class cruiser. He wondered why it was needed at such a remote planet like Miranda, but given the ever-present Reaver threat, he supposed that the Alliance was going to be doing some extra policing of the area…

The fleet tenders ARTHUR ANDERSON and EDMUND FITZGERALD smoothly towed the dry dock out of the facility. Normally one tender would be used, but the use of two would drastically reduce the time en-route.

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION HEADQUARTERS**

"Tau's report is somewhat disturbing", the Director said to the assembled executives.

The Director had called the meeting at short notice after receiving Tau's report from the WHEDON, and now – in the immense conference room on the top floor of the Sun Corporation building – the director was airing his concerns.

"Director", one of the executives said, "While the level of intelligence that this Commander Cain had gained is surprising, we must also remember that a lot of our people are on the fleet tenders taking the dry-dock to Miranda, so we will be able to get all the details on the PEGASUS' secrets pretty quick".

"Commander Cain is an individual who may end up being a danger to what we do", the Director admonished, "particularly with the revelation regarding our surgical work at the Academy on various prodigies".

"Once the bulk of the crew have settled on Miranda, the PEGASUS won't be much of a threat", another executive pointed out, "and with our 'volunteers' helping to get their settlement established, we should be gleaning more information, particularly with this 'tyllium' fuel that powers their drive systems".

"Commander Cain had shown that we cannot under-estimate him, so he will need to be watched. He, and his senior command crew", the director said.

"Are you going to inform parliament as to our intentions?" a junior executive inquired.

"Plausible deniability is what parliament wants, after the embarrassment of the Miranda exposé", the Director replied, "so we keep things to ourselves for the time being…"

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER - TWENTY HOURS LATER**

"All seals show green, Commander", Tolen reported, "The WHEDON is docked, and the airlock integrity is confirmed".

"Very good", Cain replied, "I'm glad that the Alliance ships have a universal docking adapter, so at least we won't have to worry about shuttling back and forth.

"Lieutenant Haig has informed me that his guard has taken station outside the airlock", Tolen said next.

Cain nodded. While he and Cameron had agreed to the docking of both their ships, Cain had insisted that persons entering the PEGASUS from the WHEDON would be unarmed, and vice-versa, hence the marine guard to ensure that this would happen.

"Well, I'd better get there to greet my opposite number", Cain said, "after all, we have a treaty to sign, and some crew exchanges to make before we head off to Miranda".

With that, Cain left CIC. Tolen remained at his post. Even with the seemingly friendly Alliance, he wasn't taking any chances.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – TOPSIDE AIRLOCK**

"Okay", Cain said to the others assembled beside him, "let's get this show on the road".

Syke gestured to one of the marines, who operated a control on the wall panel that opened the airlock door.

As the large door slid open, Cain could see Cameron, Tau, and Howell on the other side, along with another officer. Behind them were Alliance troops arrayed in a similar formation to the Colonial marines .

The officer walked through the airlock and up to Commander Cain. The officer saluted formally.

"Permission to board the PEGASUS", the officer formally requested.

"Permission granted", Cain replied while returning the salute.

"My name is Kemp", the officer said, "I am the commandant of the IAV WHELDON".

"Welcome aboard my ship", Cain replied, offering his hand.

"Commander Cain, I presume", Kemp asked rhetorically, smiling. Cain nodded.

With that, Cameron, Howell, and Tau came through the airlock. Cain shook hands with them as they entered.

"We'll be setting up the table for the formal signing in the center of the airlock", Barrett explained, "That way, we'll both be on our own territory, so to speak".

"That sounds pretty appropriate", Cain replied, "and after the signing, we can do our exchanges, and start thinking about getting going to Miranda".

**MAIN AIRLOCK – ONE HOUR LATER**

"With the placing of my signature", Cameron intoned formally, "I endorse this treaty on behalf of the President, and his Cabinet".

As Cameron signed his name to the parchment on the desk, the people around him quietly applauded.

"With the placing of my signature", Cain stated in reply, "I endorse this treaty on behalf of the Battlestar PEGASUS, and her crew".

Cain signed the document, which drew further applause. Howell then stood.

"With the impression of the Seal of Parliament", Howell intoned, "I symbolize the ratification of the treaty, and formalize the document in its entirety".

She firmly placed the seal down in the bottom right corner of the document, then lifted it off, exposing a perfect imprint.

"It is done", Howell said. Applause broke out again as everyone present realized that the formalities were over.

With that, Cain said, "We've set up a little spread for your people to partake in. I formally invite your crew to visit and indulge themselves".

"We did likewise on the WHELDON, Commander", Kemp replied with a smile, so I simultaneously accept your invitation, and issue one of my own.

"In that case, let the celebration, and the exchanges begin", he said formally.

By prior agreement, two hundred Alliance personnel would be on board the PEGASUS during the trip to Miranda while a like number of colonial personnel would be on board the WHEDON. Both groups would be introduced to the technologies that each side had to offer, and as such would be an excellent gesture to cement the treaty, and to build trust.

As Cameron stood, Gene Syke came up to him. He saluted.

"What can I do for you, Major Syke?" Cameron inquired.

"You had mentioned wanting to fly a viper", Syke inquired with a smile. Cameron smiled and nodded.

"Anytime you want to get into a viper cockpit…", Syke invited.

"You don't have to ask me twice", Cameron replied, "The moment I set eyes on one, that's what I wanted to do".

"I saw the pilot in you when you first laid eyes on a viper", Syke said as they both walked to the elevator, "and pilots need to help other pilots from time to time, don't they…"

Slapping Syke on the back, Cameron let Syke lead the way…. Cain watched them walk off.

"Looks like the esteemed Secretary of State and your senior pilot are becoming good friends", Howell said as she walked up to him.

"Well, pilots do have an affinity for each other, Madam Speaker", Cain replied.

"Please call me Sophia, Commander", Howell invited, "Formalities are over, after all".

"Well, you can call me Garris, Sophia", Cain replied with a smile.

"With the treaty signed, I suppose you'll be wanting to settle down on Miranda… that is, unless you don't wish to part with the PEGASUS", Howell inquired.

"The day the Cylons attacked the colonies, Sophia", Cain replied, "I was preparing for my own retirement. I've spent most of my life in the colonial military, and I wanted to retire and open my own little bar in Caprica City".

"Well, you can always open your bar on Miranda", Howell said, "or perhaps you'll take up that offer of employment with the Alliance Navy".

"I must admit, that offer is attractive", Cain said, "but civilian life after being so long on the PEGASUS does have its appeal as well. I'm not exactly the young buck I was when I joined up, you know", he concluded with a smile.

"Garris", Howell said quietly, "You have shown some remarkable political skills in the recent negotiations. Once Miranda advances to full membership in the Alliance, perhaps you should consider being one of Miranda's representatives in parliament".

"Politics?" Cain replied, rolling his eyes, "That is another form of warfare in itself!"

"Don't I know it!", Howell said, laughing. Cain liked the sound of her laughter.

Not far from where Cain and Howell were talking, the chaplain of the WHELDON was talking to the priest of the PEGASUS. Both were trading theocratic information as to each side's religious beliefs.

"So what you have is what Earth-That-Was called the Olympian cult", the WHELDON chaplain said.

"Funnily enough, one of our battlestars was called OLYMPIA", the priest replied, "but I'm intrigued by your adherence to a single deity. Some years ago in the Colonies, there were a group of people who espoused this very belief. They ended up being marginalized".

"That's not the case here", the chaplain stated, "and though the Alliance government is avowedly secular, faith in the one God predominates".

"Well, the colonies were secular as well", the priest responded, "so – like you – I merely provide spiritual guidance, but the question remains: how are our beliefs going to be taken by the populace once we settle on Miranda? Are we going to be regarded as paganistic or heretic?"

"Like all theocratic systems", the chaplain replied, "there are zealots, but there are a number of other religious groups out there in the Alliance, so unless there is a real effort on your part to push your beliefs, there should not be a problem".

"Perhaps then, in order to get an idea of things here spiritually, perhaps you can lend me a religious text to look at. In return I can offer you one of our scrolls for you to look over".

The chaplain thought it over ,then nodded. Getting to know the other is the first step to putting the other on the path to rightness' after all…


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – EN ROUTE TO MIRANDA**

Twenty hours after the signing of the treaty, the PEGASUS was finally en-route to Miranda; their new home base. The PEGASUS was being escorted by the WHEDON, DORTMUNDER, DOMINION, and DEVISOR, making it quite an impressive force of warships. Of course, given the slower drive systems on the Alliance cruisers, the trip had to be made at their pace, and it would take at least six days.

Up in CIC, Tolen shook his head at the slow pace. After quickly checking Core Command to verify the CAP patrols' whereabouts, Tolen walked up to Cain.

"A rather sedate pace, don't you think, Commander?" Tolen asked dryly.

"Well, perhaps when Major Thyssen shows the engineers in the Alliance Navy how to build our type of drive systems, then things won't be so 'sedate', as you so quaintly put it", Cain replied.

"Well, the Alliance officers here are taking to things rather quickly", Tolen stated, gesturing to the handful of people in CIC who were in Alliance guard, "I wonder how our people on the WHEDON are doing?"

"If the joint CAP's are any indication, I think they are doing okay", Cain surmised.

"Speaking of which", Tolen said, "Secretary Cameron had passed the viper simulator tests with flying colors – a natural pilot, according to CAG – and Captain Cain is going to be flying as his wingman on his first catapult out from the PEGASUS".

"I'm sure that the secretary is going to enjoy that", Cain said, remembering the first time he was catapulted out of a battlestar. Tolen ruefully nodded.

"I hope we made the right decision?" Tolen opined.

"What: the treaty?" Cain asked.

"Not so much that. I mean letting the Secretary of State fly", Tolen replied.

"My daughter is watching him, so we should be okay", Cain said, adding silently "I hope".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – PORT LANDING BAY - LAUNCH BAY ONE**

"It's moments like this that I prefer how our gunships get deployed from our cruisers", Cameron communicated over the ship-to-ship wireless.

Cameron's viper (mark 2) had been maneuvered into the launch bay, where the catapult had been clipped onto the forward landing gear.

"Relax, Sec", Tricia replied back from her viper which had been placed in launch bay two, "Just treat it like the simulations, and you'll be okay".

Barrett ruefully nodded as Tricia used the call-sign she had set up for him. He replied, "If you say so, Sheba, but simulations don't seem to carry the same 'weight' as the real thing".

"Okay, Sec", Tricia said, "power up your engines. Shooter's just given us the yellow light".

Cameron looked out to the right to see that his launch officer – in his control pod – had turned on the yellow light meaning 'power up'. Cameron deftly powered up his motors, feeling the viper come to life.

"Last minute check list, Sec", Tricia then communicated. Cameron quickly ran through the short list to verify all systems were running within set parameters.

"All okay, Sheba", Cameron replied.

Just then, Cameron saw that the light from the control pod was blinking green, indicating that the Shooter was looking for his signal to proceed. Cameron took a deep breath, then gave him a thumbs up.

"Training Flight Alpha, cleared for launch", the shooter communicated.

With that, the flashing green light turned solid green. One second later, the shooter activated the catapult.

"Wowwww!" Cameron exclaimed as the viper was flung down the catapult. Cameron hardly had time to marvel at how the colonial g-suit was protecting his person before his viper was flying in space.

Tricia's viper (mark 7) – launched two seconds later – took up formation with Cameron's viper.

"Talk about an adrenalin rush, Sheba", Cameron exclaimed, "That was great!"

"Thought you'd like it, Sec", Tricia replied, "now, do you wish to go back and alight on the PEGASUS, or would you rather stay out here for a bit and get used to your ship?"

"Hey, I'm a pilot who has been at a desk for way too long, Sheba", Cameron responded, "So I want to get all the stick time I can get!"

Tricia smiled at Cameron's reply. Like Syke, Tricia saw that Cameron was a natural pilot. She only hoped that the President of the Alliance didn't get annoyed with Cain for allowing a member of his cabinet to fly around space in a fighter craft…

**IAV WHEDON – BRIDGE**

"Your ship really looks like she belongs in space", Commandant Kemp said to Lieutenant Vansen, "Personally, I hope that our next generation of warships are going to be modeled on her".

"Well, they say imitation is the sincerest for m of flattery, Commandant", Vansen replied, tongue-in-cheek.

Both were looking outside the massive bridge viewport at the PEGASUS. Vansen looked at the ship that had been his home for oh-so-many moths with a feeling of pride. When the PEGASUS made it to the Miranda Dry Dock, it would signal both a new beginning – and also an end to things. Vansen was of two minds about that.

Vansen had talked to some of the engineering people on the WHEDON – along with Captain Engle who was representing PEGASUS' engineering section – and they had told them how the Alliance dry-dock would be able to simultaneously repair – and to analyze the systems so that they could create an accurate construction blueprint without having to resort to the old way of reverse engineering by taking the works apart. Vansen was glad that the PEGASUS would not simply be decommissioned and then deconstructed.

"We also have to take into account the possibility that your enemies may have tracked you here", Sub-Commandant Riesling said. Riesling was the Chief Engineer of the WHEDON, "because your ship would probably be the only one that could deploy to meet them quick enough to be able to do anything about it, so it's rebuilding and refitting before anything else for the PEGASUS".

Engle and Vansen smiled and nodded at Riesling's explanation. For Engle's part, he was very impressed with Riesling's grasp on the principles of how the F-T-L worked, plus the sub-light drives used on the PEGASUS, and the raptors and vipers.

"From what you have told me", Riesling said after getting his brief and looking over at some schematics provided by Engle, "While the drive system itself is rather complex, the operating principles are almost absurdly simple! It's amazing that we hadn't come across these concepts!"

Back up on the bridge, Vansen was busy pointing to some of the exterior features of the PEGASUS to Riesling when his chronometer chimed.

"Uh-oh", Vansen said, "That's my cue to head down to your squadron dispersal area. Flight Officer Hoxha is taking me for a spin in one of your gunships. Permission to leave the bridge, Commandant?"

"Go ahead, Lieutenant", Riesling replied, returning Vansen's salute, "I hope you find our gunships not too quaint for your taste".

As Vansen exited the bridge, Riesling thought back at that last comment of his. He had seen the viper patrols flying and was impressed at how maneuverable and fast they were. He strongly suspected that a gunship would be no match for a viper in a one-on-one battle, but of course, a lot depended on the pilot…

**TRAINING FLIGHT ALPHA**

"I can't believe how responsive this ship is, Sheba", Cameron breathed, "definitely better than the simulator".

"Better than your gunships?" Tricia asked slyly.

"Well, I can't really talk too much about them", Cameron said with a chuckle, "but I take it from my reaction to flying a viper that you can deduce the answer yourself".

"We've still got plenty of time before our fuel radius is reached, so you want to try out some target practice?" Tricia asked next.

"No problem with that", Cameron replied, "though I see that the Mark 2 only has cannon. Not like your Mark 7 with those missiles".

"When I was trained on the Mark 7, Sec", Tricia said, "We were told not to rely too much on missiles. I prefer to use the cannon myself, as a matter of fact".

"We prefer long range stand-off", Cameron replied, "but I can see where it is better to get in close. So what should we use as a target?" he asked.

"There should be some chunks of space rubble somewhere…" Tricia began, but paused as her console started to beep.

"Heads up, Sec", Tricia said, "my LIDAR is detecting two ships up ahead. Let's check them out first".

"I'm with you, Sheba", Cameron replied.

As the vipers closed on the contacts, Cameron clicked his wireless.

"Sheba, I'm picking up a signal on the unicom", Cameron said, "one of those ships are under attack!"

"Pirates?" Sheba asked, as she clicked on her unicom. The message she received answered her own question.

"This is the freighter RAPAHANNOCK", she heard, "We've got a Reaver ship closing in on us! We need help now! Their magneto-clamps are starting to activate…" then there was a loud noise.

"The Reavers are jamming their transmission", Cameron stated, "Sheba, we've got to help them or they are dead… in a very horrible way!"

"I got the brief about those abominations from another source", Tricia replied, not wanting to let on about the SERENITY to Cameron, "You'd better head back to the PEGASUS so I can handle this".

"Not on your life, Sheba", Cameron responded, "I may be a cabinet secretary, but taking on Reavers alone is suicide, so let's get our target practice in. At least this will be a more fitting target to shoot up".

Tricia thought to demur, given Cameron's status, but he was right: a viper was not a raptor and her missiles were smaller.

"Try not to get yourself killed, Sec", Tricia said, "Arm weapons".

**FREIGHTER **_**RAPAHANNOCK**_** – EN ROUTE TO BELLEROPHON**

"Captain, the Reavers are closing in! Another two minutes at most, and we'll be caught by their magno-grips!" the First officer reported.

The captain fumed. He was carrying a full load of cargo, which he could not jettison. It made the RAPAHANNOCK unable to out-run the Reaver ship. He looked on his rear-view monitor screen and saw the red-painted, corpse-bedecked, radiation leaking monstrosity of a ship getting closer and closer.

"Break out the suicide pills", the captain ordered, "Better that than to be captured by them".

Just then, the captain saw what looked like tracer fire hitting the Reaver ship! The Reaver ship stopped its pursuit and turned to face its attacker.

"Captain", the first officer said, "There are two gunships engaging the Reavers. I've never seen them type gunships though!"

The captain and first officer watched as the two tri-wing gunships – each one subtlety different-looking – fired their cannons at the Reaver ship…

**TRAINING FLIGHT ALPHA**

"That's the way to do it, Sec", Tricia called out, "Great shooting, by the way!"

"No prob", Cameron replied. His initial burst had taken out the magno-clamps that were within a hair of snaring the RAPAHANNOCK. As the Reaver ship turned to engage, Tricia joined in.

"This ship is quite a large one, Sec", Tricia communicated, "You have any ideas?"

"It's well-armored in front", Cameron observed, "but its weak point would be in its rear. I've got an idea".

With that, Cameron closed in on the Reaver ship and put in a log burst that blew out some of its hull plates. As the Reaver ship began to swing round and pursued Cameron's viper, Tricia suddenly knew what Cameron was doing.

Tricia deftly brought her viper in behind the Reaver ship. As she did so, her radiation readings started to rise. Fallout from the engine exhaust she thought. No time to delay. She activated her AA missiles – deactivating their homing systems as the radiation would mess them up. This was going to be a close-in shoot-from-the-hip deal.

"Firing!" Tricia screamed as the four AA missiles launched point-blank. She fired her reverse thrusters full thrust as she did so.

The Reaver ship had no time to go evasive; the range was too short. The missiles impacted, causing a cascade effect. Tricia watched as the Reaver ship exploded.

"Sec to Sheba, are you reading me?" Sheba heard over the wireless.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Sec", Tricia replied.

"Good hit", Cameron commented.

"Good assist", Tricia replied.

"Kinda had to live up to my old call-sign from the last war", Cameron stated.

"Oh? And what was that?" she asked.

"Mad Dog", Cameron replied. Tricia laughed.

"In that case, Mad Dog", Tricia replied, "You've got a kill-assist to your credit. I hope that convinces you of the merits of the viper".

"The viper is going to become the Alliance mainstay of gunship interceptor, if I have anything to do with it, Sheba", Cameron promised.

"Well, this training flight certainly earned you your viper patch, Mad Dog", Tricia said, "so how about we head back to the PEGASUS so I can give it to you?"

"I've no objections, Sheba", Cameron replied.

**FREIGHTER **_**RAPAHANNOCK**_**.**

The Captain waved out the viewport as the two gunships waggled their wings and flew off.

"Talk about the Calvary to the rescue", the first officer said.

"You got footage of those ships?" the captain asked.

"Yep, and the destruction of those bastard Reavers as well. I'm sure the news services on Bellerophon will pay well for this footage", the first officer replied.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – SILVER SPAR BRIEFING ROOM**

Tricia – wearing an anti-radiation scrub suit – was standing facing her father, who was not amused at the recent engagement with the Reavers.

"Frakk it, Sheba", Cain snarled, "risking the Secretary of State like that was irresponsible!"

"Commander", Cameron replied, "I accepted the risk, and thanks to our efforts, that's one less Reaver ship to worry about. Captain Cain did an outstanding job".

"What would have happened had you been killed, Mr. Secretary?" Cain asked in reply, "It would have brought a lot of unwelcome political heat on the PEGASUS and her crew! My Deputy CAG should have thought of that!"

"She did, and she asked me to return to the PEGASUS", Cameron pointed out, "but I refused realizing that two ships had a better chance. Besides, given what Reavers do to their prisoners, I could not abandon them like that".

"You were lucky, is all", Cain replied, not willing to concede anything to the Secretary of State.

"It wasn't luck, Commander", Cameron said, "Captain Cain's piloting skills were precise, and I for one am proud to have flown with her, so shall we let her get back to sickbay so that she can finish decontamination? I intend to recommend her for a medal for bravery once I return to Parliament".

"That good, huh?" Cain grudgingly asked. Cameron nodded.

"Very well Sheba, you're dismissed to Sick Bay", Cain said, "but Mr. Secretary, let's not have any more joy rides before we get to Miranda".

"Very well, Commander", Cameron replied, "but your daughter did sell me on the merits of the viper. I'm going to push for our navy to adopt the viper as our new replacement gunship. The royalty payments alone should help your new settlement and refinery gain additional capital".

Cain looked at Syke, who shrugged. Cain slowly nodded his head.

"I just can't stay mad at either you, or my daughter", Cain said quietly, "and you saved a number of lives. Your bravery just underlines the trust we have placed in each other. I owe you a drink in the Officer's Club, so if you're ready…?"

With that, Cain held out a round cloth patch which had the word VIPER predominantly stitched on the front. Cameron took the offered patch with a smile.

"Lead the way, Commander", Cameron said with a smile, "flying always gives me a thirst for the hard stuff…"

**PLANET MIRANDA – ALLIANCE SENTINEL POST – SIX DAYS LATER**

"Anything further regarding the ships that destroyed that Reaver raider last week?" the commandant asked.

"Still nothing from the Admiralty, beyond the message that a task force was heading this way, and that we were to render all assistance", the communications officer replied.

"Commandant", one of the controllers reported, "I'm getting multiple contacts on my sensors. Five contacts".

"IFF?" the commandant asked.

"Four of the five contacts have IFF'ed their codes. Cruisers WHEDON, DOMINION, DEVISOR, and DORTMUNDER", the officer replied.

"What about the fifth?" the commandant asked next.

"No IFF, but it is in the midst of the cruisers. Looks like this contact is being escorted", was the reply, "the return on this contact is about the same intensity as each of the cruisers".

The commandant thought about that. Four cruisers was a rather large task force. He thought that perhaps they would be here to clean up Reaver space, but this unknown fifth contact was a puzzle. Why was it not being taken to a core world?

"We've got a visual on the contacts", another officer reported.

"Punch it up on my screen", the commandant ordered.

He saw the familiar bulks of the Alliance cruisers, but the fifth ship made both of his eyes go wide.

"What in the name of God is that?" he breathed as he took in the image of the PEGASUS.

Just then, his console buzzed. He saw that it was an incoming communication from the WHEDON.

"Commandant speaking", he said into his mike.

"Commandant", he heard in reply, "On behalf of Admiral Hendrix, I'd like to introduce to you a new group of settlers to Miranda, and the newest addition to the Alliance Navy. Render any and all assistance – until the dry-dock arrives – to the Commander and Crew of the Battlestar PEGASUS".


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**ALLIANCE SENTINEL POST ORBITING MIRANDA**

"Well, Commander Cain", Secretary Cameron commented, "I bet this must be a rewarding moment for you".

"Seeing the old girl finally getting the overhaul after the exodus from the Colonies, it is good to see", Cain replied, "I just hope that your technicians and engineers will do a good job on her. She's a good ship".

"With Major Thyssen overseeing them with his staff, there won't be any problems", Cameron assured him, "besides, our technical folk will be very careful, given the F-T-L and advanced sub-light drive systems on board".

It had been four days since the PEGASUS had arrived at Miranda. The Alliance dry-dock with the two fleet tenders ARTHUR ANDERSON and EDMUND FITZGERALD had arrived the previous day. After their initial surprise at the sight of the battlestar, the dry-dock crew had quickly gotten the dry-dock ready to receive the PEGASUS.

The crew of the PEGASUS – with the exception of the Engineering crew under Major Thyssen – had evacuated the battlestar to the sentinel post. Now – as Cain and Cameron watched - the dry-dock's magno-clamps gently pulled the PEGASUS into the dry-dock, where she was secured. She was now fully at rest.

"For me, this is going to be the longest vacation from my command that I've had in a long time", Cain quipped as he and Cameron walked away from the viewport where they had seen the PEGASUS being secured to the dry-dock complex.

"Actually, this mission has been the longest break that I've had away from Parliament and the President", Cameron responded, "So I think things are working out for all concerned".

"Tell that to Governor Fabius", Cain replied.

Anton Fabius was the Alliance Governor for Miranda. He had not been too pleased that the PEGASUS and her crew had been 'dumped' on him. Cain supposed that if it had just been the PEGASUS, Fabius would not have been so dismayed, but with the Alliance Navy establishing a dry-dock, plus getting the logistical supplies for the new settlement on the Southern Continent – which had been named New Picon by Cain – delivered, Fabius figured that his administration was being sidelined – if not outrightly railroaded – by the Alliance military presence.

"The governor has a burr up his butt, true", Cameron conceded, "but the other settlers on Miranda – who so far have not been told too much about your people – like the Alliance Navy being here as it will cut down on Reaver incursions, and the extra business that military pay vouchers will bring to local businesses".

Cain nodded at that. It was the same thing on Picon when Fleet Headquarters was set up. The Planetary Administration wasn't too happy about the military presence, but the extra income generated mollified that resentment to a great extent…

"So when are you - and Speaker Howell - heading back to Parliament?" Cain asked next.

"The WHEDON will depart in five hours", Cameron replied, "And I know that Howell is looking forward to helping get your legation set up once we return. I think your Major Sanders will find the experience quite rewarding".

Cain nodded. It made sense for the Colonials to have a diplomatic presence at the seat of Government, and Glen Sanders had been the ideal choice. Cain got the feeling that when he had Sanders recalled from Axiom (via the stealth-raptor, along with Ginnie Annan), he hadn't been all that pleased at first, but when told about his new assignment, he jumped at the chance.

"Any objection to my taking my brother as our military attaché?" Sanders had asked. Cain gave the go-ahead. Both Sanders', and a dozen other members of the crew – each one representing each of the twelve colonies – would go along with Cameron and Howell on the WHELDON when she departed.

"I do hope that when your legation is established, that you will find the time to call in, Garris", Howell had said to him earlier.

"You can count on it, Sophia", Cain replied warmly. Both had gotten to first name terms, and Cain was rather taken by her.

"Mr. Secretary", the post Commandant said as he walked up to them, "The initial habitations, power and water generation plants, hydroponic farms, and the landing area for the PEGASUS' squadrons are all on schedule to be completed in two weeks. After that, New Picon will be able to be populated".

"Your Engineers really know how to get things up fast", Cain said to Cameron, impressed with the progress report.

"When establishing habitations, we have a lot of practice", Cameron replied, "and since New Picon is about to be a real gold mine for you – and the Alliance – with the Tyllium industry, Parliament has put a priority on getting things ready".

"Speaking of which", Cain said next, "The refinery equipment. When is that likely to be delivered?"

"I'm told in three weeks", Cameron answered, "That will give your geologists time to mark out the ideal locations for ore extraction, and we'll set up the refinery as close as possible. Are you sure that you don't want to give out the precise formula for the catalyst?" Cameron asked slyly.

Cain laughed, "Not right now, but once the operation is up and running and we're well and truly settled, we will. I promise".

"I suppose that was expected", Cameron replied with a mock-grimace, "but I can understand your need to keep some things under your hat".

"But at least you have a viper patch under your belt", Cain noted.

"And a viper as well", Cameron replied, "to which I offer my government's thanks"

Cain had a viper mark 2 disassembled, crated, and dispatched to the WHEDON as a gift to the Alliance. Tom Sanders would – in his capacity of military attaché – be responsible for assembling the viper and liaising with the Alliance departments who would be studying it.

"I don't know if you get away with taking it for a joy ride around the core worlds though", Cain said with a laugh. Cameron joined in on the laughter.

**GOVERNMENT HOUSE – AXIOM**

Sitting in his office, Governor Fabius was watching a view-screen of the new orbital dry-dock – now containing the PEGASUS. He had been given a sealed letter personally from a messenger dispatched by Speaker Howell herself, informing him in no uncertain terms that the settlement of New Picon was out of his governmental jurisdiction, and that the settlers there would be governed under central – rather than local – jurisdiction, even if the settlers transgressed in other parts of Miranda.

"This is outrageous", Fabius grumbled to his deputy, Lieutenant-Governor Pieter Van Der Vyl, "I have a clear mandate from Parliament to govern Miranda. With this island of people out of my control, it makes me look like a laughing stock!"

"Given that the Reavers are not going to find it so easy to stage raids on our settlements from now on due to the Alliance presence, the people are going to be more relieved by that, than by any new group of settlers, no matter how… exotic, or privileged", Van Der Vyl replied.

"There could have been a good deal of extra 'income' for our office – just like we get from each of our other settlements – but New Picon is effectively out of reach of that! And I heard that there is going to be large scale mining and refining of some mineral there as well. That is also out of my jurisdiction!" Fabius complained.

"You've done a good job soothing the locals after the political fallout of the Miranda Exposé, Governor", Van Der Byl said, "So Parliament is not going to recall you – at the present time, but if you ruffle too many feathers, that might change their viewpoint".

Fabius nodded curtly. His deputy was right: dealing with the political fallout over the demise of the first settlement was difficult, but he had succeeded. Now the population of Miranda was over six hundred thousand. However, they were all concentrated on the Northern Continent. With New Picon being established on the Southern Continent and effectively an Alliance Protectorate, it effectively took away from him control of half of Miranda. He only hoped that the Protectorate status wouldn't be permanent. And complaining about it would only antagonize the powers-that-be…

"At least they are allowing local freighters to service New Picon in regards to non-military trade and commerce", Van Der Byl added, "so we will at least get some intelligence of any developments there".

"We'll see", Fabius replied, "But for now, I suppose there's no other choice but to stand aside and let Parliament do its business".

**NEW PICON SETTLEMENT – CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION OFFICE**

Colonel Tolen was looking over the layout for the new settlement. He reminded himself to congratulate the architect who designed the layout of the new settlement and its environs.

The settlement was shaped like a large ring with the hydroponics farms, water distillation equipment, and the power generation facility in the center. The residential areas were in the surrounding 'ring; divided into twelve sectors – each one named after one of the colonies. The spaceport servicing New Picon was placed on one side of the ring, while the mining and refining complex would be placed on the other side, once those components arrived.

New Picon was located on a large basin near an escarpment named the Kobol Range. It was here that the specific type of Bauxite was found. Not far from there was a large lake named Pegasus Lagoon. Tolen liked the names that Cain had bestowed.

There was another part of New Picon, and that was the area abutting the spaceport which housed the Alliance legation, and it was with the engineering attaché that he was talking to while looking at the plans.

"I'm very impressed with the speed and finesse that this settlement was planned and – is in the process of being – established, Major Bent", he said.

"We're used to helping get settlements of at least fifty thousand residents established, Colonel", Bent replied, so for five thousand, it isn't really all that difficult".

Bent was not only referring to the three thousand people on the PEGASUS, but also the extra people who would be hired and brought in by the Alliance to man the refinery and other locations in New Picon while the transplanted colonials got settled.

"As this is the first settlement on Miranda's Southern Continent", Bent continued, this is likely to be the nexus point for further settlements getting established down here in the future, so the plans will also take expansion and diversification into account".

"Still, despite the increased presence of your navy, Reaver incursions are not totally removed from the realm of possibility", Tolen noted, "so I hope that contingency is also planned for".

"Reavers habitually attack settlements of less than a thousand, Colonel", Bent pointed out, "and where there are usually no Alliance forces at all. They are bestial savages, true. But, they are also not stupid, and they will not attack a superior force".

"Well, having Silver Spar Wing here while the PEGASUS is undergoing refit will also be a help", Tolen said, "though when the PEGASUS is finished with dry-dock, all but a single squadron will be going back to her. I hope that that will be enough of a disinclination for the Reavers".

"I have to tell you that our pilots love your vipers", Bent said, referring to the gunship contingent on detachment from the DEVISOR to New Picon, "And even your raptors are a marvel of inter-ship scouting and support vessels. It's a pity we haven't yet had a close-in look at the Peregrine, but hopefully, you'll do us the honor of looking at its assets".

As per the treaty, the Peregrine was treated as a piece of military hardware to remain solely in the hands of the Colonials until such a time as Commander Cain saw fit to drop the restriction. In keeping with this aspect of the treaty, the peregrine was placed in a separate hanger, with a constant guard of colonial marines watching over it.

"Well, the food that you've sent us makes a nice change from our com-rations on the PEGASUS", Tolen said, changing the subject, "and the hydroponic farms should start producing very soon. That, plus solid ground and blue sky makes this place a gods-send".

Bent heard the plural to 'God' mentioned by Tolen, but – under his instructions – did not challenge him about it. He proceeded to brief Tolen on how the suburban units could be expanded upon with the addition of more people…

**ALLIANCE SENTINEL OUTPOST ORBITING MIRANDA – TRANSIENT QUARTERS**

The Cylon agent was looking up from the text he was reading with a bemused expression. It had been reading a bible he had gotten from the Alliance Chaplain on board, and had read through the Old Testament with a sense of wonder.

"Humans worshipping a mono-deity", It said aloud, "how is that possible?"

It had been 'programmed' to believe that one of the reasons why humanity was dangerous was because of what the Cylons regarded as heretical views of higher beings. So humans worshipping the One God was quite a surprise – more like shock – to its logic.

If it ever got back in touch with its colleagues somewhere out there in space, how would they react? This society was already proving to be more perplexing that it had originally envisioned…


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

**PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON SETTLEMENT**

"It is my honor to officially open this settlement as our new home, and to dedicate the settlement of New Picon – both to the memories of those we lost back at the Colonies, and to our future here with the Alliance", Cain formally intoned.

The assembled crewmembers who were present for the ceremony, the Alliance military representatives, and a delegation representing the Miranda Governor's office applauded as Cain ceremonially cut a ribbon at the podium.

It had been a little over two weeks since the departure of the IAV WHEDON, carrying not only the Parliamentary emissaries, but also the Colonial Legation under the command of Glen Sanders. A report received by Cain had said that the legation had arrived at the Alliance capital planet of Londinium and had been established without any problems, and that the Military Attaché had established his residence on Ariel.

Cain had carefully arranged for the New Picon settlement to be formally dedicated at the same time that Glen Sanders was presenting his credentials to the Alliance President as Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of the Twelve Colonies to the Alliance. So while the presentation of credentials was going on, the final formalities of settlement were concluding.

The members representing Governor Fabius at the dedication were putting on a good face, welcoming Cain and the other members of the PEGASUS crew to Miranda, but they were also well aware that New Picon was to all intents and purposes outside their sphere of influence. It was only because of 'advice' given to Fabius that the delegation was there at all.

"This ceremony is concluded", Cain concluded, "So your new homes await you. Let us make New Picon our new base, and a place that we all can be proud to call home".

With that, the assembled people – some two thousand in all – broke up and started going their separate ways. Geoff Tolen, who had been standing beside Cain at the dedication ceremony, walked up to him.

"Well, I've got the final count for those members of the PEGASUS who will be settling down here", he said, "Eighteen hundred and Seventeen in all, not counting the viper and raptor crews who will be rotating".

"The rest going for transfer to the Alliance Navy?" Cain asked.

"Actually, only two hundred and forty-five will be doing so", Tolen replied, "The others will be 'contractors' assisting the Alliance on technical and military matters".

"And the Alliance is taking good care of the PEGASUS?" Cain asked next.

"Chief Thyssen reports that the Alliance isn't so much repairing the PEGASUS as restoring her", Tolen replied with pride, "speaking of which, you do have that appointment up at the Sentinel Post with that delegation from Inter-System Fleet Technologies" – the conglomerate responsible for building warships for the Alliance , "in two hours".

"Don't worry, Geoff", Cain soothed, "I'll be on the shuttle in plenty of time. I want to drop in first to see how my Daughter and Gene are settling into their new home".

"It's going to be sad missing a lot of the old faces though", Tolen said, "I've decided to stay with the PEGASUS with Thyssen's group. Someone's gotta make sure that the Old Girl is being tended to properly while you do your little jaunt at the Admiralty".

Tolen had been referring to Cain's impending trip to Ariel at the request of Admiral Hendrix. In order to impress the Admiralty, Cain would be taking the peregrine so as to show Admiral Hendrix and his staff the benefits of F-T-L capable weapons platforms. Also, he would be there to see how Lieutenant Tom Sanders was settling in as the Colonial Defense Attaché to the Admiralty. Though officially, he would be reporting to his brother on Londinium, he would also be keeping Cain informed on any interesting military developments that the Alliance has; in particular their laser and pulse-sonic weapons systems.

"Well, I know that the PEGASUS will be in good hands with you, Geoff", Cain replied, "and I'll be pushing Admiral Hendrix as well as ISFT on the benefits of getting battlestars built instead of those DORTMUNDER-class cruisers. That way, you'll have your own battlestar to command at long last".

"Personally, I'd prefer the PEGASUS", Tolen said, "the Old Girl really has become more than a home to me".

"I haven't formally retired just yet", Cain gently admonished, "and remember – once the Ariel visit is done, I've got to see Speaker Howell on Londinium. Who knows what she might offer me?"

Tolen nodded at that. Sophia Howell had mentioned that Cain may make an ideal member of parliament, and if the surveys done on the PEGASUS, the raptors, and the viper are a good as hoped, Cain could find himself on the Alliance Military Appropriations Committee. Just then, a familiar face came up to Cain.

"Congratulations, Commander", Mal Reynolds said as he offered his hand to Cain. Cain shook it with a smile.

"Congratulations to you as well, Captain", Cain replied, "Now that SERENITY is shifting base to New Picon, that will give you a lot of steady employment".

"It also gives SERENITY its long-overdue overhaul as well", Mal added, "and I appreciate your offering to add the F-T-L to her. Kaylee is itching to see how that thing works".

"When we start refining tyllium en-masse, neither you, or your engineer will have any problems", Cain replied, "You have helped us immensely, and it's our way of saying thanks".

"Still, seeing them Alliance troops with a presence here makes me kind of uneasy", Mal stated, "It's a force of habit".

"Well, your headquarters is located on the other side of the spaceport from them, along with Spar Squadron Two, so you shouldn't have any unwelcome problems with them", Cain pointed out.

"I still owe you a tour of SERENITY, Commander", Mal said, "after all, Inara and I had enjoyed your hospitality on the PEGASUS, and I'd like to return the favor".

"Okay, Well… I have to drop in on my daughter, and then go up to the Sentinel Post for a conference with some of the ISFT folk, but I'll be back here at about nineteen hundred. That okay?", Cain asked.

"That's fine. By the way, Inara will have to catch a shuttle soon as she has to get her companion Guild certification renewed. She's heading towards Ariel and she won't have time to play hostess", Mal said.

"I'll be taking the FLEET AVENGER to Londinium via Ariel", Cain said, "She can catch a ride with me instead. It'll be faster too".

"I'll let her know, Commander", Mal replied, "Thank you".

"See you this evening, Captain", Cain said, offering his hand again.

"See you then", Mal replied as he shook his hand.

**PLANET LONDINUIM – WHITE SUN SYSTEM – COLONIAL LEGATION.**

"The President seemed a nice enough guy", Lieutenant JG Vansen commented. Both he and Sanders had just left the Presidential Office where Major Sanders had just a few moments previously presented his credentials, and had returned to their office in a skyscraper nearby that housed the Legation.

"Presidents are politicians, and therefore good actors", Sanders replied, "which means we have to keep a good ear open for what's not being said".

"Your brother shouldn't have that problem on Ariel at the Admiralty", Vansen commented, "after all, they are all military types. Not politicians".

"Tom has it good", Sanders agreed, "Being the Colonial representative is going to be a rather busy job, I'm afraid".

"Speaking of which, Mr. Ambassador", Vansen said formally in his capacity as Sanders' aide, "You'll need to brief the Quorum on the presentation of credentials".

Sanders nodded. The twelve people (one from each of the Twelve Worlds) were waiting to hear from him. He headed up to the briefing room.

In the briefing room, the twelve members of the Quorum were quietly chatting amongst themselves. Mostly, they were talking about how bustling that Capital City on Londinium was. It actually resembled the old Colonial capital of Caprica City in quite a few ways.

The representative from Virgon though was simply mouthing praise while thinking about possible opportunities that could come from being so near the seat of power of the Alliance. The representative was no-one other than the Cylon agent. It had been so easy for it to manipulate the computer that tallied the ballots for the election of representatives so that It would win the Virgon seat. Now not only was it away from the PEGASUS where the search for it was still going on, but a preliminary look at the computer network on this planet made its job to gain information – and possibly manipulate things to its advantage – much easier. The possibilities were endless. Who knows, it thought; it could one day be running things here. So much easier to hand this portion of humanity to the Cylons…

**PLANET ARIEL – WHITE SUN SYSTEM – COLONIAL DEFENCE ATTACHE'S OFFICE**

Tom Sanders relaxed in his chair and looked out the window at the skyline of Ariel City. His initial meeting with Admiral Hendrix had gone well, and after the ceremonial presentation of the donated Viper Mark 2 to him, decided to go back to his office and take a break before making his initial report to his brother Glen.

"This sure beats flying vipers against tin-heads every other day", Tom said to himself, "I wonder how Glen is taking things playing diplomat?".

He had also been at a reception held for him by members of Hendrix's staff, where they not only plied upon him a goodly amount of booze, but also showed him some of their side-arms. Tom was extremely taken by the pulse-sonic rifle with its ability to simply stun rather than all-out kill, but also the side-arm laser pistol that seemed to be ubiquitous amongst Alliance officers.

He was also aware of two civilians who were at the party, to whom the Alliance officers had given a wide berth. When Sanders had introduced himself to them, they replied that they were representatives of Blue Sun Corporation, who was a major military contractor.

"Is that why you're wearing blue gloves?" Tom asked as he shook their hands.

"It's a trademark", one of the civilians said with a smile that stopped just short of his eyes.

Just then, an Alliance officer called him over to speak with a gunship pilot who wanted to know more details about the viper. Tom excused himself.

"I just wanted to let you know – soldier to soldier", the officer said to Tom, "Those Blue Sun folk are people best to be avoided. They provide good materiel to us, but they have a reputation for dealing rather roughly with those who try to double-cross them".

Tom looked back at them. They were both staring at him intently with an expression that he didn't find inviting…

"Lieutenant", Tom's aide said with a cough, jolting him out of his revelry, "Are you still intending to do the flight demonstration of the viper after its reassembled?"

"Unless either Commander Cain, or Ambassador Sanders, sends me a pilot, I'm the only viper-qualified person here", Tom replied, "I'll have to wait and see once Commander Cain gets here".

"Yes, sir", his aide replied, "I should have the initial report coded for transmission to the legation in about an hour".

Tom nodded his dismissal. He sat back in his seat. He personally hoped that he would be the one to fly the viper for the Alliance brass as he was at heart a viper jock, not a desk warrior, and he wanted to let the staff people at the Admiralty know that in no uncertain terms…

**PLANET MIRANDA – BATTLESTAR PEGASUS IN ORBITAL DRY-DOCK**

"I must say, Commander", the ISFT delegation head said, "the people who built the PEGASUS really knew what they were doing. You won't see Alliance cruisers able to take the same kind of punishment that this battlestar can".

Cain and Thyssen were giving a tour of the PEGASUS while still sitting in dry-dock. The delegation were keenly looking at the layout of the battlestar, and its dive and weapons systems

"Even though our computer systems are not quite so advanced?" Cain added rhetorically.

Cain had explained why battlestar computer systems were not interconnected and depended more upon manual control than alliance ships. The delegation had traded glances at each other over Cain's description of how the Cylons could shut down computerized networks.

"The missile suppression systems seem rather primitive", one of the technicians noted, "relying on a saturation spread instead of targeted take-out of incoming ordinance".

"We tried that approach in the First Cylon War, but the Cylons were able to jam the homing systems", Cain replied, "which was a big reason why our first-generation COLUMBIA-class battlestars got clobbered so badly, hence the upgraded GALACTICA-class".

"And the GALACTICA-class ships like the PEGASUS were due to be phased out with the introduction of the VALKYRIE and MERCURY class battlestars, right?" the delegation head asked. Cain nodded.

Cain had shown them specs of the Battlestar VALKYRIE and MERCURY, with their enlarged drive systems, landing decks, and the dual rail-guns designed to vaporize and asteroid.

"But a computer glitch in a newly introduced navigation program was exploited by the Cylons, with the end result of the VALKYRIE's and MERCURY's being destroyed", Cain stated. He didn't mention Helena Cain's MERCURY-class PEGASUS. Why confuse things, he asked himself rhetorically.

"Well, the benefits of the battlestar design layout definitely as a lot of advantages compared with the DORTMUNDER class", the delegation chief said, and not just because of your launch and recovery system for your vipers. The F-T-L drive technology is revolutionary, and it gives reality to the concept of 'Instant response'.

"Which you will need if the Cylons ever come to this part of space", Thyssen said.

"The Rail Gun concept is something that harked back to weapons technology on Earth-that-Was", another technician commented, "but it was dropped long ago on the grounds that the power required to operate it was not economical. Seeing the PEGASUS armed with such a system is quite a surprise".

"Thanks to the power output made possible with Tyllium", Cain said, "it made the rail gun possible. True, other systems cannot be running when it is firing, but the punch it carries more than makes up for that", Thyssen replied.

"Well, when the PEGASUS comes out of dry-dock, we hope to see it demonstrated", the delegation chief said, "then the battlestars which we will be building for the Alliance Navy will be similarly equipped".

Cain nodded at that with a broad smile. The Battlestars were going to be rebuilt, and before too long – he hoped – Alliance-built battlestars will not only take care of any Cylon menace, they will also be able to find the other survivors of the Colonies and bring them here…


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

**PEREGRINE 'FLEET AVENGER' – JUST DEPARTED FROM MIRANDA**

"So Miss Inara", Cain said, "This Guild requirement is done every year?"

"Please call me Inara", Inara replied, "Yes, the Companion's guild requires a medical assessment on an annual basis. It's a rather complicated process, but necessary. By the way, thank you for offering me this ride to Ariel".

"No problem, Inara", Cain responded, "I have to see how our Defense Attaché is settling in at the Admiralty, plus it is on the way to Londinium. I have a standing invitation from Speaker Howell, and it's a good excuse to see how our legation is getting on".

"Uh, Commander", Inara coyly asked, "my assessment will take a day to do. If you are still here when I am done, do you mind if I accompany you to Londinium?"

Cain smiled. He had heard that Inara was 'interested' in Glen Sanders…

"No problem, Inara", Cain acquiesced, "and you can hitch a ride back to Miranda with us as well".

Sitting close by Cain and Inara – though doing his best to avoid paying any attention – Lieutenant JG Matt Higgins was wondering what Ariel was going to be like. Cain had asked him if he would mind being Tom Sanders' assistant, bearing in mind his Advanced Tactical Training credentials would prove invaluable in not only showing off the attributes of the viper, but also in his ascertaining the flight characteristics of the Alliance gunships.

"Commander", Lieutenant Hunter called back from the cockpit, "we're ready to make the jump to Ariel. I hope that these stellar maps the alliance supplied us are accurate", he added.

"Don't forget we have to emerge from F-T-L about an hour out from Ariel", Cain reminded him, "as our existence has not been made public yet".

" I haven't forgotten, commander", Hunter replied.

"Local space shows clear, Hondo", Sims reported, "Navi-comp co-ordinates are locked in. F-T-L ready for activation at your discretion".

"Thatnk, Coffin", Hunter acknowledged, "Activating jump in three - two – one – jump!".

With a flash, the FLEET AVENGER disappeared.

**GUNSHIP DELTA-VEGA FIVE – VICINITY OF ARIEL**

"I don't know why Admiral Hendrix has got us sitting out here", the pilot grumbled, "He says we are supposed to escort an incoming ship from Miranda to the Admiralty spaceport, but I don't see anything on our scanners!"

"The brass wouldn't have ordered this without some reason, Captain", the co-pilot replied, "so we just have to wait until our visitors arrive".

"But the rendezvous time is now", the pilot pointed out, "and there is nothing nearby – apart from traffic orbiting Miranda behind us".

"Well, since it was the Admiral…." The co-pilot started to say, then he gasped.

With a flash, both crewmembers of the gunship saw a totally unfamiliar-looking spaceship flash into existence a mere five hundred meters away from them.

"What the Hell is that?" the pilot blurted out. Just then, the wireless came to life.

"Alliance gunship", the pilot heard over his headset, "This is Peregrine prototype Five inbound from Miranda. Authorization code Two-Five-Five-One. Requesting escort to Ariel".

The pilot found his voice, replying: "Peregrine, this is Gunship Delta-Vega Five. Authorization code acknowledged. Please form up on our wing. We'll guide you in".

"Understood, gunship Delta-Vega-Five", he heard acknowledged in his headset.

As the peregrine took up formation, the cp-pilot whistled at its lines.

"That is a mean-looking bird", he breathed, "look at those missile hard-points!".

"I'm just wondering how it simply flashed into existence like that!" the pilot replied, "Now I'm starting to understand why the Admiral wanted us to be here away from Ariel airspace. You'd better get in touch with the admiralty and tell them that the rendezvous has been made and we're escorting our guest in".

**PEREGRINE 'FLEET AVENGER'**

"Man, is that pilot shook up", Sims commented. He was listening in to the communications between Hunter and the gunship.

"Well, at least he's the only once shaken up, Coffin", Hunter replied, "If we had emerged from the jump in Ariel airspace, there might be a few more folk who'd be surprised".

Back in the passenger section, Inara turned to face Cain.

"How do you ever get used to the effects of these jumps, Commander?" she asked, "talk about nauseating".

"I'll let you in on a little secret, Inara: you don't. We pretend that it doesn't, but it's still the same gut-wrenching experience each time, every time", Cain confided.

"Well, given that several days of flight time have been covered in an instant, a little bit of a tummy-ache is not much of a price to pay, I suppose", Inara concluded.

"That's the right way to think about it, Inara", Cain said, "Now I'm looking to seeing Ariel, and the Admiralty".

"Well, try not to get too trusting of the Alliance, Commander", Inara advised, "try to at least keep a few cards close to your chest".

"I intend to", Cain replied earnestly, "after all, we are newcomers and few in number. We have to guarantee our continued safety".

Higgins silently agreed with Cain. After all, the Alliance was not helping the Colonials simply out of charity. They wanted our technology and information about our military, he said to himself. He knew that he and Tom Sanders would have to get information about the Alliance military technologies in order to draw up counter-plans just in case things soured…

**PLANET ARIEL – ADMIRALTY HEADQUARTERS – ADMIRAL HENDRIX'S OFFICE**

"It is truly a pleasure to meet you, Commander", Hendrix said, shaking Cain's hand after returning his salute.

"Likewise, Admiral", Cain replied, "and I'd also like to thank you for the assistance your Navy is giving to the PEGASUS, and her crew".

"Both being taken care of properly, Commander?" Hendrix asked as he gestured Cain to take a seat.

"Your technicians and engineers are giving the PEGASUS tender loving care", Cain replied, "She will be just as pristine as the day she was launched by the time they are finished. As for the crew, the folk who have elected to settle down on Miranda are getting their homes established in New Picon".

"I have to tell you", Hendrix said, "that the folk who have transferred to our navy are picking up things fast. Not just with their knowledge, but with their overall bearing and discipline. You really ran a tight ship".

"I had to, given the situation we were in", Cain explained, "The fact that the PEGASUS managed to pull through after such a lengthy voyage running through various Cylon gauntlets in a tribute to evey person on the PEGASUS".

"And to her commander as well", Hendrix added, "and now that you're here, we can help each other out: your side with your technology and military know-how, and on our side, our ability to build ships of your type so that we can not only defend our Alliance against all threats, but also to help find the other elements of your fleet out there somewhere".

Cain did notice Hendrix using the term "all threats" rather than "Cylons and Reavers", but chose not to comment on it at this stage. The bottom line was that these worlds were human-populated, and that they had the technological know-how to make use of what the PEGASUS and her crew could provide.

"Well, I'll be keeping our Defense Attaché well-informed, and we'll be sure to pass on any additional data through him to you", Cain replied politely, "but I do hope that your government and military do take the Cylon threat seriously. They may not ever get here, but then again, they might".

"I've read your logs, Commander", Hendrix said, "That last long jump being random, and thus uncharted makes a Cylon visit here unlikely, given the vastness of this galaxy and the fact that none of your star-charts had gotten a match on our star systems and constellations. Still, you are right that we should not be complacent. With our navy equipped with battlestars and vipers, we will stand a much better chance of meeting any threats".

"Once the mining and refining operations start", Cain said, "We should be producing enough tyllium in quantities to service your entire fleet, once you folks get your F-T-L drives built and fitted in to your vessels".

"We do have to wait for our battlestars to be built though before we can use the tyllium", Hendrix replied, "given the stresses exerted on the ship's superstructure during a jump. Your Chief Thyssen had informed me that simply fitting the F-T-L drive onto our cruisers was impractical for that reason. That fact alone made the Military appropriations committee vote funds to start construction once the examination and refitting of the PEGASUS is complete".

Cain nodded. Battlestars could withstand a tactical nuclear detonation, but that was because they were strongly built for the simple reason that the F-T-L drive did exert considerable stress on a battlestar's superstructure. It was the reason why the raptors, javelins, and the peregrine were strongly built. The cruisers could be fitted with the tyllium-using sub-light drives, but it was the F-T-L that was making all the difference.

"I'm sure that the PEGASUS will be a valuable asset to the Navy, Admiral", Cain said, "and the ships you build will complement her nicely".

"I'm hoping that you will become a valuable asset to the Navy, Garris", Hendrix said, using Cain's first name for the first time. As Hendrix passed him a drink, he said, "Your experience and command abilities are a rarity. The President and the Parliament agree. I am authorized to offer you a position in our Navy at the rank of Vice-Admiral, and to head one of the new task forces of battlestars once they come off the construction line".

Cain sat back, surprised at this offer. True, he had been thinking about retiring, and he had originally avoided accepting flag rank because it have would resulted in his flying a desk at Picon Fleet Headquarters, but a position as a task force commander…!

"Do you mind it I think about it, Admiral?" Cain said at last, "That is one heck of an offer".

"Speaker Howell had contacted me and made the suggestion, Garris", Hendrix explained, "she thought that you could be of valuable at Parliament, but she realizes that you could be more valuable in the Navy".

Cain nodded without speaking. He made a mental note to talk to Sophia when he dropped in to see Glen Sanders on Londinium…

"Anyway", Hendrix said, "take all the time you need to think about the offer. Regardless, you are a guest of the Alliance, and the Navy, and you will be extended all courtesies. Personally, I can't wait to see the PEGASUS when her refit is over and she makes her way here".

"I'll be sure to give you a personal tour, Admiral", Cain assured him.

"By the way, that female that was travelling with you and your aide. She's not a colonial, is she?" Hendrix asked.

"No, she's a companion based on Miranda", Cain replied, "She hitched a ride with me because she needed to be reassessed for her guild certification".

Inara had bid Cain farewell after they had landed. So while Cain was being entertained by Hendrix, Inara was heading off to the guild medical complex to get her reassessment done…

"She mentioned to my aide that she would be continuing on to Londinium with you, so she has clearance to come straight to the admiralty spaceport rather than for you to have to pick her up", Hendrix said, "besides, it keeps your peregrine away from too many civilian eyes".

Cain nodded at that. He wondered how the Admiralty – and Parliament – would break the news of the PEGASUS and the F-T-L drive to the populace. The straight truth… or an elaborate cover-story…?

"I'd better get over to my Defense Attaché's office", Cain said, "I take it my aide" – Lieutenant Higgins – " has been well-taken care of by your aide?"

"I'll buzz them both, Garris", Hendrix replied, "Once again, Welcome to the Admiralty and to the Alliance".

**COLONIAL DEFENCE ATTACHE'S OFFICE**

"So Admiral Hendrix played the gracious host, eh Commander?" Tom Sanders asked, "He laid it on thick for me as well".

"He's a military type, and he doesn't do things for nothing", Cain replied, "but in his shoes, I'd be doing the same".

"Its good news that the Appropriations committee have granted funds to build battlestars though, commander", Tom said, "and I've heard that the PEGASUS is really getting the royal treatment in dry-dock".

"We still have to keep our eyes and ears open, Tom", Cain replied, "which is why Matt Higgins is here to assist".

"I guess that means I won't be test-flying the donated viper then", Tom said in a mock-sulking tone.

"I need you to keep cultivating your contacts with the Admiralty, Captain", Cain replied.

"Well, I appreciate your confidence….. Captain?" Tom asked.

Cain walked up to Tom and held out a box. Tom opened it and saw inside the box the insignia of a Captain.

"Thank you, Commander", Tom said quietly.

"A military attaché should have a reasonable rank, but since you can't outrank the ambassador…", Cain replied with a chuckle.

Tom nodded ruefully. It meant his brother Glen still outranked him. Ah well, he thought, you can't win 'em all…

"One piece of news that you should be aware of", Tom said, "there are military contractors to the Navy called Blue Sun Corporation. They produce a lot more than just military goods, but their representatives are really forbidding. Even the Alliance officers give them a wide berth. They wear blue gloves as a kind of company trademark".

Cain remembered passing two civilians on the way to Hendrix's office. Both were wearing blue gloves, and he noticed that Hendrix's aide – who was escorting him to the Admiral – was keeping well away from them. He wondered what was up with that…

"Thanks for that information, Tom", Cain replied, "Now, if you could show me to a place where I can lay down and rest, I'll catch a nap for a while. I won't be heading off to Londinium until the morning".

"What about Hondo and Coffin?" Tom asked.

"They both wanted to bunk out in the FLEET AVENGER", Cain replied, "The racks are comfortable there, but they also wanted to be sure that no unauthorized visitors pays a visit to the peregrine with no-one around".

"I can understand that", Tom replied, "Anyway, I'll show you to your quarters"

"Don't forget me, Captain, Sir", Matt Higgins interjected. He had been quietly sitting listening to Cain and Tom speaking.

"Follow me", Tom said to them both.

As Tom showed both Cain and Higgins where to bunk down, he wondered just how this assignment would fare. Hendrix's warm welcome was a good sign, but Tom had to remind himself that Hendrix's first loyalty was to the Alliance…

**PLANET BEAUMONDE – KALIDASA SYSTEM - TELNET CHANNEL FIVE HEADQUARTERS**

"This is remarkable video footage", the news producer said to the journalist who brought it in.

"It was worth every credit that ship captain was demanding", the journalist replied. The captain of the RAPAHANNOCK had approached the journalist in a bar with the footage he had taken of the two vipers destroying the Reaver raider. The journalist thought that the price was rather high, but then he took a closer look…

"If these are new Alliance designs for gunships, then these show an entirely different development path from the usual designs" , the news producer noted.

"A little far off the beaten path to test their new designs too", the journalist added, "If the RAPAHANNOCK'S co-ordinates are accurate".

"Reavers don't come anywhere near the core worlds", the news director stated, "so that fact alone bears out his story".

"So are you going to air it?" the journalist asked.

"Certainly", the new director replied, "With the parliamentary budgets being supposedly open, if the Alliance Navy is getting finding for ships like this, then they have some explaining to do".


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

**PLANET ARIEL – ADMIRALTY SPACEPORT**

"So Inara", Cain greeted, "Get everything taken care of?"

"Well, I'm a companion for another year, if that's what you mean, Commander", Inara replied with a smile.

"We're about ready to depart, so if you can get on board, we'll be on our way", Cain said, gesturing to the open hatch of the Peregrine.

"Say Hi to Glen for me, Commander", Tom Sanders said. He was there to see off the Commander. Matt Higgins was beside him.

"Make sure you both impress the Admiralty brass once the viper is finished reassembly", Cain replied, gesturing to the hanger where Alliance technicians – under the guidance of two technicians seconded to the Defense attaché's office from the PEGASUS – were assembling the dismantled-for-transport viper Mark 2.

"Don't worry, Commander, we will", Tom assured him, "and thanks for the fuel". Hunter and Sims had earlier offloaded from the peregrine a fuel pallet of tyllium for the flight demonstration. It was now stowed in the spaceport fuel storage facility.

Cain shook both their hands. After returning their salutes, Cain entered the peregrine where Sims secured the hatch. Sims then gave a thumbs-up signal to Hunter, who went into the cockpit and started up the engines.

As Cain strapped himself in, Inara asked, "Are we F-T-L-ing to Londinium, Commander?"

"The flight time is only five hours at full sub-light speed, so it's going to be a leisurely trip; by request of Admiral Hendrix", Cain replied.

Inara nodded. Core World traffic – particularly between Ariel, Sihnon, and Londinium – was quite heavy. A sudden appearance of the peregrine as it flashed out of an F-T-L jump could be rather disruptive to Parliament's wish that the Colonials still maintain a low profile for the time being…

"Five hours is still pretty fast, Commander", Inara replied, "The average flight time between Ariel and Londinium is around twelve hours".

"Commander", Hunter called back from the cockpit, "spaceport control has given us our clearance. We're on our way".

**ADMIRAL HENDRIX'S OFFICE**

Hendrix watched from his office window as the peregrine lifted off from the spaceport and headed off into space.

"That is one impressive piece of hardware", Hendrix said to his aide.

"A pity that the flight crew were still on board though, Admiral", the aide replied, "Otherwise we could have gotten a lot more intel on that ship".

"The external shots we got will do for the time being", Hendrix stated, "and before too long, we'll have all the technical details we need to build the peregrines as well. Those colonials are really becoming a boon to our navy".

"You think that these Cylons will ever show up, Admiral?" the aide asked.

"Who knows?" Hendrix replied, "But even if they don't, the F-T-L technology will greatly expand our range of exploration, and increase our presence – and authority – on the Rim worlds…"

**PLANET BEAUMONDE – KALIDASA SYSTEM - TELNET CHANNEL FIVE HEADQUARTERS**

As the producer was going over the presentation of the vipers-vs-Reavers footage for the peak time news show with one of his assistants, a cough jolted him from his conversation.

"Excuse me", the producer asked, "but who are you and what are you doing here?"

Standing in front of his desk were two severely suited civilians wearing blue gloves.

"We're from Blue Sun Corporation", one of them said, "We have heard that you had obtained footage of some experimental gunships stacking a Reaver raider. We have information that you might find beneficial to the footage".

The producer pressed a button on his desk, closing the door. There was just him, his assistant, and the two visitors in his office. The producer gestured to two chairs.

AS they sat, one of them said, "We have specifications on the performance on those gunships, and the reason why they were operating so far out from Core World Space".

"That would be wonderful", the produced said, "and you're just in time. In another hour, I would be having the footage released on the news web. This additional information will help 'flesh-out' the information from the crew of the RAPAHANNOCK".

"They're the ones who took the footage?" the other one asked.

"Yes", the producer replied, "They approached one of my reporters – Dave Jenkins – with the footage. After selling it, they brought it here".

"No-one else has seen the footage yet?" the first person asked.

"Just Jenkins, myself, my assistant here, and the RAPPAHANNOCK crew", the producer replied, "but soon it will…. Hang on, how did you know about the footage?"

"That, plus the specifications, are on these portable devices", the second person replied, pulling out what looked like a very short silver rod.

The producer watched as the person hit a button on the rod, extending two smaller rods out from each end. A high pitched hum started to emanate from it…

Outside the office, other employees of Telnet Chanel Five walked blissfully by the producer's door – which was soundproof, so that the sounds of screaming within could not be heard…

The two Blue Sun Corporation men stood up and – after first pocketing the video footage, then checking to see that the corridor was clear - left the office, leaving the blood-splattered corpses of the producer and his assistant strewn across the desk.

"I'll take care of Jenkins", the first man said, "you go over to the spaceport and deal with the RAPPAHANNOCK crew".

Nodding, the two men quietly and unobtrusively exited the building – where the internal security systems that had for some inexplicable reason been frozen during their visit – started working again…

**PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON SPACEPORT**

"So Zoe", Mal asked as he entered SERENITY, "Everything all squared away?"

"Yes, Sir", Zoe replied, "Those colonial technicians really did a great job with the overhaul. She's prettier than she has been in years".

"Pretty and Shiny, Captain", Kaylee added, "I wish Wash was here to…. Oh, Sorry, Zoe", Kaylee said contritely.

"Its okay, Kaylee", Zoe consoled, "I know what you mean".

Mal saw what Kaylee meant as well. The interior of SERENITY was gleaming. The FIREFLY-class freighter looked like it had just come off the assembly line.

"They really did a good job", Mal commented.

"Not only that, they strengthened the hull so that when we get the F-T-L drive, there won't be any problems with SERENITY when we use it", Kaylee added.

"Hey, Mal", Jayne said, "Gotta thank you for having them colonials work on my cabin. Seems like I got almost double the room I had before".

"Not to mention the infirmary", Simon said as he entered SERENITY. He and River had just been visiting Doctor Wilkin Ashley for an exchange on Alliance and Colonial medicines.

"So did the PEGASUS sawbones have anything to contribute to your sister's health?" Mal asked.

"Yes, he did as a matter of fact", Simon replied, "evidentially their brain surgical techniques are more advanced than ours, and he says that whatever the Academy medicos did to River can be remedied with a mixture of remedial surgery and certain drugs".

"Did you tell him to keep that under his hat?" Zoe asked. Simon nodded.

"After what I told him about the Academy, the effects of the surgeries, and the episode on Ariel, he agreed to keep things quiet", Simon replied, "In fact, he was quite disgusted that doctors would operate on a person in that way".

"So when is he going to work on River?" Mal asked next.

"He has to discretely get the drugs he mentioned, and also to make sure he has uninterrupted time to operate. He hopes that when the PEGASUS comes out of dry-dock, he will be able to use the facilities in his sick-bay", Simon replied.

"Well, that sounds right hopeful", Mal said, "but we need River up in the cockpit at the moment. We're got to get along to Haven to pick up a shipment of refined ore needed back here".

"I'm on it", River said as she headed up to the flight deck.

"I hope that Inara is having a good time", Kaylee said as she headed back to Engineering…

**PLANET LONDINIUM – BRITTANIA SPACEPORT VIP ANNEX**

"Welcome, Commander", Glen Sanders said after saluting Cain, "I trust everything went okay on Ariel?"

"Admiral Hendrix gave a good impression, and your brother is on top of things there", Cain replied, "by the way, he sends his regards".

"Inara!" Sanders exclaimed with a broad smile as he saw her entering the VIP lounge, "How did you manage to get here?"

"Commander Cain was nice enough to offer me a ride, Mr. Ambassador", Inara said politely, which made Sanders blush. He knew that Inara was referred to by the crew of SERENITY as 'Ambassador' from time to time.

As they left the VIP annex to a waiting transport, Sanders said, "Parliament is not wasting any time, Commander. The ISFT people have started preparing their shipyard facilities on Sihnon for the construction of four GALACTICA-class battlestars. They have asked you to be present at the keel-laying ceremony".

"That will depend on how long I'll be here with Speaker Howell", Cain replied, "but you're right about them acting fast. Their technical data that they got on the PEGASUS must have been quite comprehensive in order to get construction started at such short notice".

"I wondered about that too", Sanders stated, "but given how complex the dry-dock facility is, I'm not surprised that it would be just more than a ship repair platform, plus it would explain why they are being so careful and through with the Old Girl".

"The peregrine is being left in the hands of Hunter and Sims", Cain said next, "but is there any way that a couple of our people from the legation can relieve them? I'd like them to get a taste of Londinium before we head back to Miranda".

"Will do, Commander", Sanders acknowledged as he pointed to the exit where the transport was waiting.

"Are we off to the legation?" Cain asked next.

"Yes, Commander", Sanders replied, "There will be a vehicle there waiting to take you to see Speaker Howell at her Parliament Office. Then you both will pay a call on President Starkey".

"Politics", Cain grumbled, "still, it that's the grease that's going to get the Alliance navy ready to face any threat from Cylons, I suppose that's the price we've got to pay".

"I know what you mean, Commander", Sanders replied, "With the various visits from the heads of committees and Members of Parliament, not to mention my weekly tete-a-tete with the Secretary of Defense, at times I prefer to be back at my post on PEGASUS".

"And here I thought you couldn't get enough of firm ground under your feet and atmosphere above you", Cain retorted with a smile.

"Hoisted on my own petard, I think", Sanders conceded.

He led them to a waiting hover transport, which – after they all got in – departed the spaceport and headed to the nondescript office building near Parliament that housed the legation.

"Now that is an impressive structure", Cain commented as they passed close to the Parliamentary Assembly Building.

"Ten thousand Members of Parliament representing the tens of billions of humanity", Sanders said, "I've only got to meet with a handful".

"The most influential handful though", Inara pointed out, "but don't forget that they are politicians with other loyalties", she warned.

Sanders nodded without speaking.

In a few minutes, the transport landed on the rooftop landing pad. Sanders gestured to Cain and Inara to follow him to the elevator abutting the landing pad.

A quick trip down the elevator and they exited at the reception area of the legation. The few people there from the PEGASUS stood as Cain entered, followed by Inara and Sanders. Cain waved them down.

Sanders guided Cain and Inara into his office, where he offered them chairs, then drinks.

Cain sipped his, then nodded appreciably.

"The Alliance has nice-tasting booze", he said.

"It's called Canadian Whiskey", Sanders replied, "after a country on Earth-That-Was".

"You're getting used to using their vernacular, Glen", Inara noted.

"It's for a good reason, Inara", Sanders replied, "I've been getting historical data about Earth and its location. The Peregrine can easily make it there and back".

"What for, Glen?" Inara asked, "Earth-That-Was was depopulated because of ecological collapse due to overpopulation and pollution. As it's only been a few hundred years since the Exodus, Earth won't be habitable for a long time".

"The GALACTICA is looking for Earth, Inara", Cain explained, "and if we can leave some beacons there, we can let them know where we are".

"The Alliance is not too hot on that idea, Commander", Sanders interjected, "as they think that if the Cylons stumble upon Earth first, then they'll come here instead. They are thinking about having a manned sentinel post established on Earth's Moon. That way, if the GALACTICA comes a-calling, then they can F-T-L back here to let us know".

Cain nodded at that. He slowly sipped his drink as Sanders continued to fill him in on developments.

"Oh, and speaking of Earth-That-Was", Sanders said next, "The Alliance is going to use Earth landmark names for the new battlestars. They have come up with EURASIA, AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, and BRITTANICA. They liked the name GALACTICA and decided to use names ending in 'A' for the first batch".

"I hope that they will start using 'S'-ending names before too long", Cain replied. Just then, there was a knock on Sanders' door. Sanders pressed a button on his desk to open it.

"Excuse me, Sir", Lieutenant Vansen said as he came into the office, "The transport for Commander Cain has just alit on the landing pad. Speaker Howell is expecting the Commander".

Cain stood up. Sanders made to stand, but Cain gestured for him to keep his seat.

"Lieutenant Vansen can show me to the transport, Glen", Cain said, "Why don't you remain here and entertain Inara while I'm gone. I'm sure I'll only be several hours", he added with a smile.

Glen Sanders felt the slow flush going up his collar as Cain left…


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

**PLANET LONDINIUM – OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT**

"Tell me again, Sophia", Cain asked as he accepted another drink from Speaker Howell, "Why – and how – did you get Admiral Hendrix to offer me flag rank and a task force to command?"

Both Cain and Howell were sitting in comfortable chairs in the visitor's lounge that abutted her opulent office. Howell said that she preferred talking to guests in the lounge rather than her office as she preferred informality.

"Garris", Sophia replied, "Secretary Cameron was so taken with you during the trip to Miranda – and he really loved the viper flying – he thought that you could be of more use helping the Navy out in a more active role. True, I'd have liked you to work on the Navy here in Parliament, but I was impressed with Ambassador Sanders and the representatives of your colonies and they are more than able to push things along in Parliament".

"And here I was quietly hoping that I could relax and open a bar back on Miranda", Cain said as he raised his glass to her and sipped his glass of Canadian Whiskey.

"Garris", Sophia gently chided, "You're not the type to sit back and relax. Besides, should the Cylons head this way, your expertise and experience will be vital".

"Sophia", Cain replied with a smile, "you stroke like a pro".

"Stroke?" Sophia inquired, confused.

"It means to handle a person in such a way so as to make that person feel valued", Cain explained.

"I had to do a lot of that to get to the Speaker's chair", Sophia replied, "It's warfare in its own way, though without lasers, missiles, and medals".

"Considering that you're third in line constitutionally to the Presidency", Cain pointed out, "one can say that you've earned your 'battle honors' in the political arena very well".

Sophia laughed and Cain joined her. After they both toasted each other and took another sip of whiskey, Sophia spoke again:

"Are you going to Sihnon for the keel-laying ceremony?" she asked, "I think it would be a great gesture to show the continuance of the battlestar legacy from the Colonies to the Alliance".

"I'd like to", Cain replied, "but of course a lot will depend on how long I'll be here, and what President Starkey and Vice-President Petty has to say".

Just then, a formally dressed individual came in to the lounge. Sophia stood. Cain did likewise, figuring that if the Speaker of Parliament showed deference, he should as well.

"So this is Commander Garris Cain, Madam Speaker?" the newcomer asked not unkindly. Sophia nodded.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Commander", the newcomer said, "I am Prime Minister Harrison".

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Prime Minister", Cain replied as he shook Harrison's offered hand.

"I managed to get back from Bellerophon earlier than planned and I had to meet the person who is helping our military to such a great extent", Harrison said.

"Considering the assistance you've given my battlestar, not to mention my crew with the New Picon settlement, it was the least we can do", Cain politely replied.

"Prime Minister", Howell said, "Since you are back early, perhaps we can convene Parliament for an in-camera session. I'm sure they would like to see Commander Cain and perhaps he could address the assembly".

"You know that I hate speech-making", Cain grumbled.

"Parliament can be a fractious lot, Commander", Harrison replied, "and there are already come grumblings from several parliamentary back-benchers regarding the rapid approval to build the four battlestars on Sihnon. Your addressing them and telling them about the Cylon threat, plus the advantages of the F-T-L, and the tyllium fuel would go a long way to assuring continued development of your military technologies".

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm being railroaded?" Cain sighed, "Very well, Prime Minister. But I do hope that I can still get back to Miranda before too long".

"Your peregrine can make the trip rather quickly", Harrison pointed out, "and besides, I want to swear in your twelve colonial representatives as Members of Parliament. That will ensure your people will have representation here".

"Given that an MP represents millions, and that the average number of people each of the Quorum represents is three hundred, don't you think that might engender some resentment?" Cain asked.

"After your speech, there should not be any questions about that", Harrison assured Cain, "Besides, if we do end up getting other survivors from your holocaust coming into our space – such as the GALACTICA – having colonial representatives in parliament will make things easier for them".

Cain reluctantly nodded. He personally detested politics, yet what the Prime Minister said was true.

"Prime Minister", Sophia said next, "Commander Cain and I need to get to the Presidential Palace. The President and Vice-President are waiting to meet the Commander".

"I'd better get back to my office too", Harrison said, "Once again, it was a real pleasure meeting you, Commander. Welcome to your new home".

**PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON SETTLEMENT.**

"You know, Gene", Tricia said as they walked through the hydroponic farm, "This place really grows on you. It's been so long since we've last been on a planet".

"Yeah, it is pretty", Syke replied, "Even though the refinery is being set up nearby, New Picon is really feeling like home".

Tricia and Gene had established themselves in a comfortable domicile in Caprica suburb. Both of them were still in uniform as they were responsible for maintaining the readiness of the squadrons down at the spaceport.

"How long before we can return most of the squadrons to the PEGASUS?", Tricia asked.

"The PEGASUS is scheduled to be released from Dry Dock in two weeks", Gene replied, "and after Colonel Tolen runs her through a refit shakedown cruise, we can get the squadrons back on board".

"I understand that the PEGASUS will be making a trip to the Core Worlds", Tricia commented. Syke nodded.

"Even though we got the word about four battlestars being approved for construction, Parliament wants to see how its money is being spent", Syke explained, "Besides, I'm curious to see the Core Worlds, and this would also be a great finale".

"What do you mean, Gene?" Tricia asked.

"I'm going to be resigning my commission after the Core Worlds visit, Tricia", Syke replied, "I've done enough viper flying to last a lifetime. I like the idea of settling down and raising a family", he added as he held Tricia's hand.

"Gene…" Tricia said quietly as Syke knelt.

"Tricia, Will you marry me?" Syke asked.

Tricia gasped. True, she was in love with Gene and they had been more than casually acquainted, but she had not thought of marriage, given the military situation, but things had changed now that they were settled on Miranda.

"Gene, I don't know what to say", she said.

"How about 'yes'?" Syke suggested.

"Then stand up so I can kiss you properly and reply in the affirmative", Tricia replied.

With that, Syke stood. They both embraced and kissed each other deeply.

"I'm sure that Father will approve", Tricia said after they broke the kiss, "but your resigning from the military… He might have something to say about that".

As Gene placed a ring on Tricia's finger, he said, "Well, when he gets back from the Core, I'm sure he will…"

**PLANET LONDINIUM – PRESIDENTIAL PALACE**

"Welcome, Commander Cain", President Richard Starkey said as he and Sophia entered the Presidential Office, "And you too, Madam Speaker", he added.

"It's always a pleasure, Mr. President", Sophia replied politely.

Cain saluted Starkey, then shook his offered hand. Starkey then gestured to another individual who was in the office.

"This is Vice-President Thomas Petty", Starkey introduced. Cain saluted Starkey, then shook his hand.

"As the Vice-President serves as the chairman of the Naval appropriations board, he had a special interest in making your acquaintance", Starkey explained as he gestured to a sofa.

As Cain, Sophia, and Petty sat down, Starkey poured two cups of coffee and offered them to Cain and Sophia. Cain's eyes widened at the President of the Union of Allied Planets serving HIM coffee, but Sophia's expression changed not a jot.

As Starkey sat down, Cain sipped his coffee. His eyes widened.

"This is excellent Coffee, Mr. President", Cain said, "Better than the best Picon blends".

"It's a private blend from Liann Jiun", Starkey explained, referring to the fourth planet in the White Sun System.

"Remind me to go there sometime so I can take some of it back with me to Miranda", Cain replied.

"I'll see you have plenty to take with you, Commander", Starkey assured him, "So, has the Speaker talked you into making the address to Parliament?"

"Given her reasons, I couldn't say 'No', Mr. President", Cain replied, "and the keel-laying ceremony for the four Alliance battlestars as well. I just hope Colonel Tolen and the rest of the PEGASUS crew don't think I've been kidnapped".

"I'm sure that Ambassador Sanders will keep them well-informed", Starkey assured him.

"Speaking of which", Petty interjected, "I take it that Mr. Sanders has talked to you about Earth-That-Was and of plans to guide the GALACTICA here should it get there?"

"Yes, Mr. Vice-President", Cain replied, "Your idea to establish a manned base rather than automatic probes makes sense, but I'd still like to either send the PEGASUS, or at least the peregrine to run a survey on the planet".

"Until the Alliance battlestars are completed and commissioned, we would prefer to keep the PEGASUS in local space, in case these Cylons unexpectedly show up", Petty pointed out, "but sending the peregrine would be no problem, though we would like to have members of the Planetary Exploration and Survey Trust to go along to make an initial observation and to see just how well Earth-that-Was is doing in its ecological recovery"

"PEST is responsible for terra-forming and planetary mapping", Sophia explained.

"I concur, Mr. Vice-President", Cain acquiesced, "and frequent F-T-L patrols can be done until the base is established, just in case the GALACTICA arrives there soon".

"You think that they will ever get there?" Starkey asked.

"The commander of the GALACTICA is Bill Adama, a classmate of mine", Cain replied, "He is a very determined and dedicated person. If anyone can find Earth, he will. And the civilian ships he's protecting with the GALACTICA will have a good chance of surviving under him".

"Sounds like battlestar Commanders are really gung-ho supermen", Starkey said with a smile.

"No, just men", Cain replied, "and Secretary Cameron has shown me just how good your Naval personnel are as well".

"Yes, I had a few words with him regarding his joy-ride in a viper", Starkey said dryly, "I was frankly surprised that you allowed him to do so".

"My CAG attested to his flight skills, and he was a former pilot who wanted to try a viper out", Cain replied, "He earned his viper patch".

"Yes, and sang praises for the virtues of the viper", Petty commented, "and since the donated viper's flight demonstration to the Admiralty is going to be taking place soon, that should seal the plan to have the Alliance Navy equipped with the viper".

"The people at the Defense Attaché's office are competent people, Mr. Vice-President", Cain assured him, "and the pilot who will actually make the demonstration flight is a graduate from Advanced Tactical Training School, which is the Colony's elite training facility for combat pilots".

"I'm sure that your people will give a good account of themselves, and the virtues of the viper", Starkey said, "but I am a little concerned as to one thing, which is why I wanted to chat to you".

"What is that, Mr. President?" Cain asked, suspecting the answer.

"The mining equipment and refinery complex have arrived at Miranda", Starkey said, "and it will be set up soon for the commencement of mining of the bauxite ore you use for Tyllium. However, your decision to withhold the formula for the catalyst needed to turn the ore into fuel concerns us some".

"When we had heard about what had originally happened on Miranda with the Pax, the surgical butchery done to a Miss River Tam at the Alliance Academy, and various other things described in some detail to us, it made us a little wary about putting all our cards on the table immediately", Cain explained, noticing the pained expressions from Starkey, Petty, and Sophia, "So until our concerns are put to rest, we have to keep at least one card to ensure our well-being. Think of it as defensive politics, Mr. President, but rest assured, once things have settled down, we will be glad to give you the catalyst formula".

"You know, we could just analyze the refined tyllium fuel ", Petty commented.

"Analysis won't tell you anything about the catalyst", Cain replied, "the reaction between the catalyst and the refined ore is one-hundred percent chemical conversion, so reverse-engineering the fuel will not work".

"You know, Commander", Starkey said after a pause, "you should not read too much information given to you by a ship full of smugglers and criminals, which is what SERENITY in essence is".

"Mr. President", Cain replied, "You know better than me that sometimes the best source of information comes from sources such as this, and Secretary Cameron did not insult my intelligence by denying what was said to me. SERENITY is being employed by us to carry ore and refined tyllium and as such is under our protection. You also have my word that tyllium supplies to the Alliance will not be used as a weapon against the Alliance unless the Alliance threatens war against us".

"That won't happen, Cain", Starkey replied, "but for the record, you should know that these things you had mentioned to me I had no prior knowledge of until the Miranda Exposé".

"Mr. President", Cain replied, "I believe you. Similar things that happened in the Colonies were denied by President Adar, and that was true because his underlings thought that plausible deniability was the best option. I understand that sometimes in order to protect, there has to be certain projects that have to stay 'under the LIDAR', and that meant not telling the top people".

Starkey, Petty, and Sophia breathed a sigh of relief. True, the exposé regarding Miranda and the experimental surgery done to child prodigies did a good deal of damage to Parliament, and the Presidential cabinet, but 'plausible deniability' enabled the President to avoid impeachment. Still, a lot of others were not so lucky and were dismissed, with some going to prison.

"Well, I appreciate your forthrightness, Commander", Starkey finally said, "a lot of times, I don't get that in this office. I'm sure Speaker Howell will keep you entertained until we call Parliament for your address".

With that, Starkey stood and offered his hand. Petty did likewise. As Cain and Sophia left the office, Starkey turned to Petty.

"Cain would make on hell of a politician", he commented, "even though he obviously hates politicking".

"If he accepts the offer of Flag rank in the Navy, Mr. President", Petty replied, "He will do us good there, plus not muck up the works here. Such integrity in one man can be a real asset, or a real liability".

"Plus he's protecting SERENITY. Any moves against that ship will alienate him, and until we have the full formula for the tyllium catalyst, we can't afford to do anything against SERENITY, or the colonials", Starkey noted.

"We may not have to", Petty stated.

"True, but like all politicians, I like to keep all options open…" Starkey replied.


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

**PLANET LONDINIUM – PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE CHAMBER**

"…and that completes my address. On behalf of the crew of the PEGASUS, I wish to reiterate our thanks for sanctuary and a new lease on life, and that our technologies will be of mutual benefit for not only the Alliance Navy, but for the betterment of all humanity here in the Union of Allied Planets".

As Cain nodded to Speaker Howell who had been seated behind him, the Members of Parliament who had assembled at this in-camera special session stood and applauded. Cain had spoken for a little over two hours. He had talked about the Colonies, the Cylon Holocaust, and the exodus of the PEGASUS – as well as the other surviving ships still out there somewhere in deep space.

As Cain sat down in his chair, Sophia Howell raised her ceremonial hammer and banged the gavel on her desk twice. The applause died down and the Members sat.

"Members of Parliament", Sophia intoned, "You have heard from the Commanding officer of the Colonial Battlestar PEGASUS. From his lips, you have heard the remarkable story of their survival from an implacable foe; a foe that could someday come here. To those of you who had questioned the decision to build our own battlestars based on the PEGASUS, as well as the other military technologies that the PEGASUS brought with her, I hope that Commander Cain's speech has convinced you of the potential threat that we must prepare for".

Cain listened intently to Sophia's speech. He was amazed at how good an orator she was and he could see that the assembled Members of Parliament were paying close attention.

"I hereby move that the Colonial Legation here on Londinium be recognized by this body as the Embassy of the Twelve Worlds to the Union of Allied Planets, and for the members of the Quorum of the Twelve – currently residing at the Legation – be sworn in to this august body as Members of Parliament representing not only their compatriots on the Battlestar PEGASUS, but also to their compatriots still surviving in locations unknown somewhere in this galaxy".

Cain saw a front-bench MP rise and say "Second". With that, a debate began on Sophia's nominations.

Cain had asked – and gotten permission – to have not only Glen Sanders be present at this session of Parliament, but also the Members of the Quorum, who were answering questions directed to them by various MP's. As they did so, Sophia walked up to Cain.

"The workings of a democratic system", Sophia said, gesturing to the debating chamber.

"You think that there will be no problem with the vote being positive?" Cain asked.

"It'll pass", Sophia assured him, "after all, pragmatism rules here. The Alliance – with the exception of those surviving military and civilian ships from your colonies - is most probably the only bastion of humanity left in this galaxy. They won't leave the possibility of Cylon attack – regardless of how remote the chances of that are – to chance. Survival is a great motivator".

"To be honest, Sophia", Cain replied, "Pragmatism governed us – the PEGASUS crew – in our decision making. Humanity faces a continuous threat as long as the Cylons are out there somewhere. Regardless of some of the less pleasant aspects of the Alliance, the survival of humanity comes first".

"The dedication ceremony for the new battlestars is set for the day after tomorrow", Sophia said next, "Are you going to be there at the dedication?"

"Are you?" Cain asked Sophia.

"Only if you are", Sophia replied, "That way, I can see just how great it is to fly in your peregrine".

"In that case, Sophia", Cain said, "I would be honored to do so".

Nearby, Glen Sanders was watching the members of the Quorum respond to questions. Inara was seated beside him as his guest.

"It's not often that a companion gets to sit at any session of Parliament, let alone an in-camera session", Inara stated.

Glen nodded. In-Camera sessions are closed to the Public. There had been an objection by the Chamber Sergeant-At-Arms to Inara's presence, but Glen had invoked Diplomatic Immunity privilege, which settled the matter.

"Besides, there are a number of MP's who are clients of mine, and it's interesting to see them working for a change, instead of them watching me work", she added playfully.

"Now why am I not surprised by that?" Glen asked rhetorically…

The debate went on for another hour before Sophia – back at her desk – banged her gavel three times to terminate the debate. The MP's quieted down.

"The Honorable Members will have fifteen minutes to vote on the resolution regarding the Colonial Legation, and the admission to the Chamber of the Quorum of Twelve", she formally announced.

With that, the MP's started to talk with each other. On a large board situated above the Speaker's desk, the YAY, NAY, and NOT VOTING scorecard started to register votes, along with a countdown timer.

"Isn't fifteen minutes a little bit too short a time for them to vote, Sophia?" Cain asked as he walked up to her desk.

"Fifteen minutes is actually what I say it is, Garris", Sophia replied with a grin, "that's one of the perks of the job of being speaker".

Cain chuckled at that. Sophia spoke to Cain quietly.

"Garris", she asked coyly, "Do you need to sleep over at the Legation tonight? I do have a spare room in my apartment, and I'd like to give you a taste of some local cuisine…"

The look in her eyes suggested something more than just food… Cain looked at her and nodded.

"I'll let Ambassador Sanders know I'll be away from the legation tonight", Cain replied quietly.

"It'll soon be called an embassy, Garris. Thank you", Sophia said with a bright smile.

**COLONIAL EMBASSY - TWO HOURS LATER**

"Talk about a landslide vote", Sanders said after he had sat down at his desk. With him were Cain, Sophia, Inara, and Vansen.

"And now that your Parliament is bigger by twelve members, I hope that the larger size won't make your job any harder", Cain joked to Sophia.

As Sophia smiled and laughed a little, Vansen brought over a tray of drinks. Vansen made sure that everyone got a glass of the intriguingly bubbly liquid, then after putting the tray down, raised his glass.

"I'd like to propose a toast to the success of the debate, this embassy, and to all of humanity here in the Alliance", Vansen said.

"Hear-Hear", the others replied. As Cain drank his beverage, his eyes widened.

"What is this drink?" he asked.

"It's called champagne", Sophia replied, "invented back in a country called France on Earth-That-Was".

"Speaking of which", Sanders said next, "I'd like to make a toast to the other colonials out there somewhere to whom we all hope that they will find their way safely here".

With another "Hear-Hear", the assembled folk drank.

"Glen", Cain said, "I'll be with Speaker Howell this evening, so don't worry about preparing my quarters. She will be coming with me to Sihnon to the battlestar dedication ceremony".

"Yes, Commander", Sanders replied, suppressing a smile.

"Anyway, I think I'd better get the passed legislation over to the President to be officially signed into law. Would you like to come with me, Commander Cain?" Sophia asked.

"I'd be honored to, Madam Speaker", Cain replied, "Take care of the embassy, Glen", Cain said to Sanders as he and Sophia left the office.

**OFFICES OF PARLIAMENT**

The newly sworn-in members of Parliament had been assigned individual offices in the office building abutting the Parliamentary Debate Chamber. The member for Virgon looked around the office – checking for any listening devices – then sat down at the desk.

The situation was better than it had hoped for. Already, it was now a bona-fide member of the governing body of the Union of Allied Planets. This was an ideal place to not only gain intelligence, but also to climb the ladder. It may take year, it thought, but it was determined to gain as high an office as possible, where it would be in an ideal position to act when the Cylons eventually do come…

**SPEAKER HOWELL'S APARTMENT – FIFTEEN HOURS LATER**

Cain woke up quietly, lest he disturb Sophia – who was laying beside him sound asleep. The previous evening had been one of passionate love-making. Cain hadn't experienced any of that since his wife had died and he was moderately surprised that he could still give a good account of himself.

Gently getting out of bed, he headed to the bathroom to do his ablutions. After finishing up in there, he exited the bathroom to see that Sophia was awake.

"Had a good night's sleep, Garris?" She asked as she got up and kissed him.

"Actually, yes", Cain replied, "When I was on the PEGASUS, I slept lightly because of my responsibility as Commander. It has been the deepest sleep I've had in quite a while… and you, My dear, gave me a lot of exercise last night that tired me right out".

Sophia giggled as she put on a robe.

"It's been a long time for me too, Garris", Sophia said, "My job and dedication to it was a turn-off for other men and as such, I've never been married. Oh, there were people who did propose, but they were only proposing to me because of my political position. I never thought I'd be involved in a serious relationship… until you came along".

"Sophia", Cain said gently, "You are a wonderful, intelligent, and beautiful woman. It's been so long since I've had the pleasure of such company. But you have a responsibility to Parliament while I have my responsibility to New Picon. True, I may end up in Alliance uniform at the head of a task force instead, but don't you think that our jobs would interfere with our relationship?"

"How did your wife feel about your being away from her during your military career, Garris", Sophia asked quietly.

"She said to me that the long absences made the times we got back together more special", Cain replied, "but it was during a long absence that she sickened and died. That had hurt both myself and my daughter Tricia – who was at that time on the Battlestar TRITON - not being there with her those final days".

Sophia walked over to Cain and hugged him.

"I'd like to meet your daughter sometime", Sophia said, "When Parliament goes into recess, I'll try to catch a trip to Miranda. Maybe we can work something out as well".

Cain nodded. "Maybe we can", he said.

With that, they both kissed deeply…

**COLONIAL EMBASSY – AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE**

"It's going to hurt with you being back on SERENITY and my being stuck here", Sanders said to Inara.

Like Cain and Sophia, both Inara and Sanders had made love to each other in Glen's bed the previous evening, and now that it was morning, both of them had decided to share the bathroom shower.

"I won't be stuck on SERENITY, Glen", Inara replied as she toweled herself off, "my job involves going around a lot of the Alliance planets. With you here on Londinium, it gives me an excuse to come here more often than I had before".

"A pity you can't stay for a little while longer though", Sanders grumbled as he started to get dressed.

It's a pity I can't stay, but I need to get back to Miranda soon, and that means hitching a ride on the FLEET AVENGER", Inara replied.

Sanders nodded, then said, "Well then, before the sweet sorrow of departure, perhaps we can get some breakfast. Last night worked up a big appetite…"

**PEREGRINE 'FLEET AVENGER'**

"Boy, this city is great!" Sims said after checking over his systems, "If this is an example of what a Core World is like, we need to come to the Core more often!"

"I can't argue with that, Coffin", Hunter replied.

Both of them – after a couple of colonial marine guards had relieved them – had taken in the sights of the City of Britannia. A couple of Alliance Navy officers who were part of the Presidential Military Attaché's office had acted as guides, showing Hunter and Sims various places, though the night club located downtown they had been taken to was the definite 'icing on the cake'.

"Kind of reminds me of the graduation party after ATT, right, Hondo?" Sims had rhetorically asked after experiencing the food, drink, and other 'delights' that the club had to offer…

After they had gotten back, Hunter and Sims had been put up in the guest room that had been vacated by Cain. They had gotten up early, dressed and had breakfast. Then they headed up to the roof of the building that housed the embassy where the Peregrine was to pre-flight and check the systems, given that they would be flying to Sihnon later that day…

"Heads up, Coffin", Hunter said as he looked out of his viewport, "Here come the brass".

Sanders had walked onto the landing pad where the peregrine was sitting. Behind them were Cain, Inara, and another woman who Hunter recognized from the briefing photos Sanders had shown them the previous day.

"The Parliamentary Speaker is with the Commander", Hunter said, "Better look formal, Coffin…"

Sims rolled his eyes. From armed assault scout to VIP transport….


	25. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

**PLANET SIHNON – WHITE STAR SYSTEM – ISFT ORBITAL DRY-DOCK COMPLEX**

"The Tatarus Fleet Dockyards couldn't compare with this", Cain breathed as he looked out of the peregrine's viewport at the massive orbital facility.

"This complex is designed to construct up to six DORTMUNDER-class cruisers at a time", Sophia Howell replied, "and as the GALACTICA-class battlestars are smaller in overall size, the facility is not going to have a problem getting them built".

After making a quick F-T-L jump from Londinium to Sihnon – discretely so as to not unduly alarm any civilian traffic – the FLEET AVENGER had been given clearance to dock at the facility's administrative module. Cain – along with Hunter and Sims – were looking awestruck at the immensity of the dry-dock.

"The mobile dry-dock servicing the PEGASUS also originated from here", Sophia added, "It gives our Navy the ability to be serviced in the field".

"We didn't have mobile facilities like that back at the Colonies", Cain replied, "We had three major shipyards with annexes for refitting and overhauling. The only remote facilities we maintained were anchorage stations that held caches of ammunition, fuel, and consumables".

"Militech would have loved to have had this complex to work with", Hunter added, "Could you imagine how many peregrines could be turned out here?"

The dry-dock that the Inter-Systems Fleet Systems conglomerate had in orbit over Sihnon was a massive cylinder in general shape. As the FLEET AVENGER approached one of the ends, they could see the entry ports for the interior bays where new warships were constructed.

"three bay hatches at this end", Sims commented, "and I assume another three on the other?"

"That's right, Lieutenant Sims", Sophia replied, "Each one big enough to construct and launch a cruiser".

"So which bays will the four new battlestars be built?" Cain asked.

"I don't know, Commander", she replied, "but the construction staff will let you know. From what I understand, they also want you to look over the specs we got from our examination of the PEGASUS before the keel-laying ceremony commences".

"I look forward to meeting these people", Cain said as the peregrine made its final approach to the dry-dock…

**PLANET ARIEL – WHITE SUN SYSTEM – NAVAL FLIGHT TESTING RANGE**

"I must say, Captain Sanders", Admiral Hendrix said, "Your pilot is really showing just how maneuverable, and how deadly the viper is".

"Even though Lieutenant Higgins graduated from our top viper school, he's doing no maneuver that any competent pilot can't do", Tom Sanders replied, "besides, this is the Mark 2 he is demonstrating. When we get clearance to pass on to you the Mark 7, you'll be even more impressed".

"I've seen the schematics of the Mark 7", Hendrix replied, "and apart from the racier look, it seems that the only real difference between the two models are that the Mark 7 is fitted with missiles and have improved avionics".

"The Mark 7 has a longer range", Tom stated, "but generally, you're correct. The Mark 2 has compared well with the Mark 7 in combat against the Cylon raiders".

"Those Cylon raiders though had F-T-L capability, which the vipers don't", Hendrix pointed out.

"It wasn't deemed necessary as the battlestars do have F-T-L, so in effect, the battlestar would jump to the combat location, then we would launch", Tom explained, "though there were plans on the drawing board for the Mark 8 viper to be fitted with F-T-L. Perhaps when your construction folk build their own vipers, they can continue development and come up with their own Mark 8's".

"Higgins' viper is really doing a good job shooting up the target drones, but the use of cannon rather than laser or pulse weaponry means your ammunition load is restricted somewhat", Vice-Admiral Selwyn – who was the Admiralty's head of Research and Development – commented. Tolwyn was observing the flight tests and was making very perceptive observations.

"Admiral", Tom replied, "Thanks to the Cylons' ability to render inert energy weapons, we had to go back to the use of cannon shells and missiles. If you can find a way to stop the Cylons from doing that to your weapons systems, then that will be a major achievement".

"And the shells do pack an impressive punch", Hendrix added, noticing the end result of the viper's firing on the remote drones.

"Our gunships are of two types – as you know – space-capable and atmosphere", Selwyn stated next, "Seeing that the viper merges the two into one is a great advantage. The alloy you use on your vipers to make this possible alone is something we can certainly make use of".

"So have we sold you on the merits of the viper then, Admiral?" Tom asked Selwyn.

"If it is as easy for our gunship pilots to fly as Lieutenant Higgins makes it out to be, then the answer is an emphatic yes", Tolwyn replied. Hendrix nodded.

"Of course, we will have to set up an operational training unit so that we can start getting our pilots trained on the viper once they start coming off the production line", Hendrix said, "and we will need some of your pilots to act as instructors".

"I'll make sure that Commander Cain gets the request. It should not be a problem", Tom replied.

"Very well, I guess you can have Lieutenant Higgins come in now", Hendrix said, "And I'm sure that with Flight Officer Hoxha keen to show off his flying skills, it won't be a moment too soon for him".

Higgins had given Hoxha instruction on viper flying during the escorting of the PEGASUS to Miranda. Like Speaker Cameron, Hoxha had easily picked up the skills needed to competently fly a viper, and his flying of the Mark 2 would show the ease of transition for the Alliance pilots.

"I'm sure Mr. Hoxha will give an impressive performance, Admiral", Tom assured him…

**PLANET MIRANDA – BATTLESTAR PEGASUS (IN DRY-DOCK)**

"Gentlemen", Colonel Tolen said as he looked at the renovated CIC, "If this is what you were referring to as a basic refit, you have a talent for understatement!"

The Combat Information Center had not only been refitted, it had been restored to pristine condition. It was like it had been reconstructed from scratch! All surfaces were gleaming, all display screens were functioning. It looked better than brand-new…

"It was advantageous that your computer systems were not interlinked and are rather simple", the Alliance Engineer with his replied, "but even so, I'm impressed with the capabilities of your Dradis console, and of your LIDAR and deep-space scanners".

"Simplification was the only way to avoid the Cylons hacking into the systems and thus closing down the battlestar", Tolen reminded him, "True, it made things somewhat more labor-intensive, but that's what a well-trained crew is for. So when you get your new battlestars built and launched, your naval trainers will need to keep that in mind".

The PEGASUS was quite a way along in its overhaul. Tolen and Thyssen were very impressed with the speed that the overhaul was progressing: their old dry-docks back at the colonies couldn't match this rate of repair! The exterior of the battlestar had almost been completely restored, with most of the battle damage from the months alone in space taken care of. Seeing that brought tears to Tolen's eyes…

"I take it that all the information needed to get the Alliance battlestars built has already been transmitted to the Core?" Tolen asked.

"Yes, Colonel", the Alliance Engineer replied, "Theoretically, we could make an exact duplicate of the PEGASUS – right down to the same number of rivets – and when you go aboard her, you wouldn't know that ship from this one".

"Well, we'll soon see if you will have copied our F-T-L and drive systems well enough", Tolen said, impressed with what the Alliance Engineer had told him.

"Complex system, but a very simple operating principle", the Engineer replied, "so there should not be any real problems with that. Though of course getting the Tyllium fuel to make them go is another matter…"

"The refinery is being assembled as we speak, and the initial mining has started", Tolen said, "so we should be getting enough of the fuel ready for the new battlestars once they are ready to launch".

"I'm still curious about your catalysts though", the Engineer replied, gently probing.

"Once Commander Cain gives the all-clear, you'll be the first to know", Tolen assured him, "so are there any other things you'd like to show me?"

**PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON SETTLEMENT**

"If the Alliance scientists only knew how simple the catalysts were, they'd faint!" Captain Engle commented to one of his assistant engineers.

Tyllium was an accidental discovery many years ago by a Doctor Maron on Saggetaron. Maron was a geologist and a chemist who had samples of what the Alliance called Bauxite, and had left a chunk of the ore – which was of high purity – on a desk in his lab.

Maron was working in his lab one morning when a minor earthquake occurred. Next to the bauxite was a test tube of diluted sulphuric acid. The test tube shattered, spilling the diluted acid on the bauxite. The result was that the bauxite had started to liquefy and the liquefied mineral was spreading on the lab desk. Maron grabbed an industrial cleaner – prime ingredient Ammonia – and sprayed the liquid bauxite stain with it.

The chemical reaction created a new compound that looked completely clear, compared with the muddy brown acid-liquefied bauxite, and that had gained Maron's curiosity. He found out – nearly killing himself in the process when some of the compound dripped on the floor – that the compound was rather volatile.

After he got out of hospital, Maron proceeded to make more of the compound – which he called Liquid Tyllium (Tyllium being the Saggetaron name for Bauxite) – and found out about its properties. Virtually a one hundred percent energy conversion from the combustion of Tyllium made the best space drive fuels in use at that time hopelessly inefficient by comparison – though the very little waste gas from the burn – which Maron called Solium – was highly toxic and had to be carefully monitored as it was a very insidious gas and often could not be detected until it was too late.

Maron found that a certain mineral type of bauxite/tyllium ore gave the best 'blend' for the two catalysts to react, and thus the Colonies' most invaluable invention for space travel – next to the F-T-L – came to be: an efficient fuel that could be stored for long periods with an extremely high energy conversion ratio. Now – here in the Alliance – this fuel was about to revolutionize local space travel the same way it did to the Colonies.

"A good thing that it's easy to make the catalysts", Engle's deputy commented, "and the stabilizer".

Engle nodded. The stabilizer that stopped the tyllium from being too unstable from handling was iodine. As it didn't affect the energy conversion ratio to any great degree, it was another simple solution that Maron was responsible for.

"It's a good thing that the catalysts and stabilizer can't be detected once they have reacted with the ore as well", Engle added. After all, it wouldn't do to have the Alliance know what the catalysts were TOO soon…

**PLANET SIHNON – WHITE STAR SYSTEM – ISFT ORBITAL DRY-DOCK COMPLEX**

Up on the control deck of the dry-dock, the ceremony was reaching its climax.

"It is my honor to lay the ceremonial keel plates for the Alliance Battlestars EURASIA, AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, and BRITTANICA", Cain announced to the assembled engineers, Sophia, Inara, Hunter, Sims, and Rear-Admiral Collins, who was the Alliance naval liaison to ISFT.

It had been a day since the FLEET AVENGER had arrived. After the welcome by Collins, and the dry-dock Chief Engineer, Cain and Hunter looked carefully at the schematics for the four battlestars. Cain had noticed that while the AMERICA and the AUSTRALIA would be virtual clones of the PEGASUS, the EURASIA and BRITTANICA would be having changes made to their weapons systems.

"So you don't like the rail gun and saturation suppression systems", Cain commented.

"While there is a possibility that the Cylons may come here", the Chief Engineer said in reply, "We want to use the EURASIA and BRITTANICA as test-beds for our own weapons systems. By replacing the rail gun with our electrical pulse cannon, and substituting high-intensity pulsar-lasers for your suppression ammunition, we hope to be able to extend a deployment of the battlestar as they won't have magazines that have to be replenished periodically".

"The unification war, plus cleaning up remoter parts of our space of Reavers, pirates, etc, has taught us the value of maintaining lengthy deployments", Collins explained, "and if these enhancements work out, our next generation of gunships – based on your vipers – will be fitted with similar systems".

"Just so that all your eggs won't be in one basket", Cain replied, "as the Cylons have demonstrated an ability to render energy weapons harmless in the past".

"That's where the F-T-L will come in handy should the situation occur: we jump away and let the battlestars with the PEGASUS-type systems come into play", Collins said.

"Just keep your computerized systems simple and compartmented and you'll be okay", Cain said next, "and for frakk's sake, make sure that the people who work on the navi-comp programs are beyond any suspicion. The CMP program we had introduced was the Colonial Fleet's death warrant".

Collins nodded. He had read the briefing about the destruction of the vast majority of the 120 battlestars of the Colonial Fleet. With barely a dozen surviving warships, it was a clear example of what a flawed computer system could result in.

"We definitely will keep it in mind", Collins assured him, "and thanks for those pics you gave us as to the layout of the VALKYRIE and MERCURY-class battlestars. Once these first four are completed and deployed, the MERCURY-class will be the next to see reality here.

Cain remembered that conversation as he now pressed a switch on a console. As he did so, high intensity lasers fired up in four construction bays of the massive dry-dock complex. Those lasers bore onto long pieces of alloy laid remotely at the base of each bay.

As Cain watched, the lasers burned onto each alloy beam the names of each battlestar, and the date. When the beams shut off, the assembled persons applauded.

"And now construction begins", Collin announced.

As congratulations went back and forth between the people on the control deck. Sophia walked up to Cain.

"So now it begins", she said with a smile, "You have started a legacy here, Garris. You should be very proud".

"Thanks, Sophia", Cain replied, "but I'll also be proud when the other survivors from the Colonies can find their way here, and when we can finally defeat the Cylons. And if I don't live to see it, at least I'll die knowing that others will carry on the work".

Sophia hugged him, not caring that others were watching.

"Please accept the Admiral's commission", she said quietly, "and we'll make sure that those goals will be reached…"


	26. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

**PLANET MIRANDA – AXIOM SPACEPORT – GOVERNMENT ARCHIVES**

Ginnie Annan was taking time out from her job as New Picon's liaison to Governor Fabius' office in order to look at the Miranda branch of the Alliance Government Archives. Captain Syke had asked her to check on the records of the history of Earth-That-Was in order to help prepare the planned expedition to the planet by the peregrine. The more she read though, the more perplexed she got.

"According to this", she mused to herself, "Earth had hundreds of languages – some completely unknown to the Colonies or Kobol, yet the principal languages of the colonies are used here".

As languages are a constantly evolving item, the fact that there was very little deterioration by comparison with Caprican and Gemonese Standard, and only moderate deterioration with the Tauran dialect was rather a strange co-incidence. But also, the names of various places on Earth-That-Was.

"Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, The Acropolis hill in Athens City, A moon called Triton around a planet in Earth-That-Was' system, with a sun known as Sol…", she mused. Slight grammatical variations of these names were found on various battlestars in the Colonial Fleet! And since these names were in use for tens of thousands of years before the exodus to the Alliance worlds, it made for an incredible grammatical co-incidence.

As she continued to study things further, she found that several of the stellar constellations seen from Earth-That-Was bore the names of the Twelve Colonies! Also old legends from Earth-That-Was that told of a winged horse named Pegasus ridden by a rider called Bellerophon… These similarities were incredible. Not Kobolian, but Colonial!

Next, she studied the ruins of ancient Egypt, and then her heart skipped several beats. Pictures of pyramid-shaped ruins bore pictograms that she immediately recognized as Leonian! Had members of the other twelve tribes accompanied the thirteenth? It seemed to be the only answer that she could think of, but then she saw a pictogram in a photograph of an obelisk near the pyramids that was partially obscured: it read 'GALACT…'…

She leaned back in her chair, her head spinning with the revelations of what the archival photographs had shown… Just then, she felt two hands cover her eyes.

"Guess who?" a familiar voice asked rhetorically.

"Hey Grant", Ginnie replied cheerfully, "Glad to see you could make it!".

Grant 'Zapper' Wise had taken a raptor from New Picon to Axiom for the purpose of picking up some supplies. After finding out at the liaison office where Ginnie was, he quickly headed over to the archive.

Taking his hands off her eyes, Grant let Ginnie stand up, then he hugged her and kissed her. As the archive was empty save for those two, there were no problems with such a display of affection.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to go and have lunch while I'm here", Grant asked, "Simon Tam and his sister have told me about a restaurant, and I thought I'd ask you out".

"A bar would be a better idea", Ginnie replied, "Because after what I've seen here in these old records, I could use a stiff drink".

**PLANET LONDINIUM – COLONIAL EMBASSY**

"Are you sure that your staying here is a good idea, Commander?" Glen Sanders asked Cain.

The FLEET AVENGER had returned to Londinium shortly after the keel-laying ceremony at Sihnon was completed. On the trip back, Sophia had made a suggestion, and after getting an update on the PEGASUS overhaul, had decided to take her up on it.

"According to the information from Colonel Tolen, the PEGASUS will be out of dry-dock in a week", Cain replied, "As I originally intended to take the PEGASUS to Sihnon, it makes sense to wait here instead. Colonel Tolen can bring her here to Londinium, and then I'll take her for the run to Sihnon".

"It's just that when Hondo and Coffin take the FLEET AVENGER back to Miranda, we will not have an F-T-L capable vehicle at your disposal until the PEGASUS arrives", Glen pointed out. He didn't have to say that Cain would have no quick means of getting to Miranda should things take a turn for the worse…

"Lieutenant Hunter is relaying instructions to the Two Jasons to bring a raptor here and to stand by should I need to use it", Cain explained, "Besides, there will probably be a parliamentary delegation who will want to tour the PEGASUS and my being here to prepare them will be of help to Speaker Howell.

Glen nodded. He could see that Cain and Sophia were very attracted to each other. Still…

"I hope that there will be enough of a crew to bring the PEGASUS in", Sanders said, "given that a lot of them want to settle down and live their own lives on New Picon".

"Colonel Tolen assures me that there will be, plus there will be a number of Alliance personnel on board to see how we run a battlestar. They will be able to assist if needed", Cain assured Glen.

"Let's hope New Picon will be okay once the PEGASUS departs", Sanders commented, "I'd hate to have uninvited guests drop in – like Reavers".

"If they do, then Truly and Wise will have their squadrons ready and available to take care of them", Cain said, "Hally's and Warden's squadrons will re-berth on the PEGASUS, along with the stealth-raptor, the stealth-star, and one raptor and javelin each".

Glen nodded. This way, the peregrine, half of the reconnaissance squadron and the other two viper squadrons will remain to ensure New Picon's safety. Speaking of which…

"The mining is proceeding smoothly", Glen commented, "and the refinery will be ready to start processing the ore into Tyllium fuel within a week. Captain Engle reported no problem getting the catalyst ingredients, so we should be turning out real high-grade fuel very soon".

"Which is our major chip in our inter-planetary game of poker", Cain finished. While the Alliance leadership had been friendly, Cain also knew that politics had a nasty habit of turning against people at the drop of a hat. He suspected that President Starkey, Vice-President Petty, and Prime Minister Harrison were pragmatic – read: _not to be fully trusted_ – politicos, and thus he needed to keep all options open. At least with Sophia Howell, Cain had a powerful ally…

**PLANET ARIEL – ADMIRALTY**

"Well, there it goes", Tom Sanders commented to flight Officer Hoxha, "I hope those techs at Blue Sun will be able to build 'em just as good".

Both he and Hoxha had watched the viper used for the flight demo being loaded aboard a Blue Sun Corporation transport for Salisbury in the Kalidasa System. It was there that Blue Sun constructed the Alliance gunships, and now that they got the tender to build vipers, they would be responsible for producing them as well.

"Their gunships have never let us down", Hoxha assured Tom, "and they'll make pretty good vipers too. Just so long as your refinery on Miranda can supply them with the tyllium necessary to make 'em run".

"I still get the creeps looking at their personnel", Tom confided, "Talk about no emotions. Even their eyes look dead! And those blue gloves…"

"You're not the only one, Tom", Hoxha replied, "They make great products and have a lot of clout in Parliament, but you don't hear all that much – if at all – about them, or from the folk who have run afoul of them".

"Well, you didn't run afoul of the brass at the flight demo", Tom said, changing the subject, "They seemed more impressed of your flying than Matt Higgins, and he is one of our best pilots!"

Both men paused as the Blue Sun Corporation ship lifted off from the Admiralty spaceport. They watched it climb into the sky, and then they both turned and walked back into the Admiralty building.

"Seeing her go off to her new home, eh?" Higgins asked as they walked inside. He had been in the lobby when Tom and Hoxha had entered from outside.

"The viper is one heck of a fighter", Hoxha replied, "and I loved flying it; particularly when I faced off against a gunship in that mock combat demo".

"You really flew rings around the gunship. All I got to do was to shot up a couple of drones", Higgins said with a mock pout.

"Let's go up to the Officer's Club", Tom replied, "and we can toast and boast our piloting skills in the proper fashion".

Higgins and Hoxha laughed at that and followed Tom into the elevator. Tom was right: pilots everywhere had the same tradition of drinking and embellishing their exploits. He was glad to see that the Alliance pilots did the same thing…

**TRANSPORT **_**CHIANG CHING-QUO**_** – EN ROUTE TO SALISBURY**

"So this is the wonder-gunship from the PEGASUS", one of the Blue Sun technicians commented as he walked around the secured viper in the cargo hold.

"Yes, and we'll be building a lot more of them", another technician replied.

"It is fortunate that so far we have kept the lid on about the existence of this ship", the first technician noted.

"Our colleagues managed to stop the potential leak, it seems", the other technician agreed, holding out a news-pad.

The headlines from the BEAUMONDE GAZETTE which were streaming on the news-pad mentioned the mysterious explosion that destroyed the transport RAPAHANNOCK, just after it had left Beaumonde's atmosphere. Another part of the news-pad mentioned an obituary for a telnet journalist killed in a hit-and-run accident. The technician looked at the story in smug satisfaction.

"Well, don't be too proud of things at the moment", the first technician admonished, "after all, this is the Mark 2. Preferably we want to go over the Mark 7".

"The colonials will soon allow us a Mark 7, the way things are going", the second technician replied, "and who knows; the peregrine might be next".

"All that is well and good", the first technician said, "but all of this is really moot until we get the formula for their bauxite-derived fuel: 'Tyllium' I believe they call it".

"We've got some of our people working as contractors at the New Picon mining complex and the refinery. If they do their jobs right, they should be able to provide us with the full formula before too long", the second technician assured the first.

"Then that will be that as far as the Colonials are concerned", the first technician stated, "and when we get them out of the way, we will be able to claim sole propriety of their fighters, scouts, and their fuel…"

**PLANET NEW MELBOURNE – RED SUN SYSTEM – ALLIANCE GENETIC LABORATORY**

"These biological spacecraft are amazing!" Chief Scientist Conrad Audenauer breathed after he did his initial survey.

"That's what we said too when we got them", Doctor Ian Bevel replied. Bevel was Dr. Wilkin Ashley's assistant in PEGASUS Life Station, and he had overseen the IAV DOMINION transporting the Cylon freighter, the two wrecked Cylon scimitar-shaped raiders, and the few blasted Cylon centurions that the PEGASUS had salvaged during its voyage. With the Cylon artifacts now here in the laboratory, the Alliance geneticists and cyberneticists were taking their first good look.

"So let me understand: The centurions alone are not of the original design from the Colonies. In other words, the Cylons built their next generation?" Audenauer asked.

"Yes, and also their capital ships", Bevel replied, "The Base Ships they used in the first war looked like two spinning tops joined together at the base, while their newer ones look like two 'Y''s stuck on in the same manner".

"Given how artificial these ships look from the outside", Audenauer said, "You think that perhaps their base ships are similarly genetically engineered on the inside?"

"Base ships are slightly larger than the PEGASUS, and each one of them carries close to two hundred of these raiders", Bevel answered, "so if their base ships are genetically engineered, then the facilities to do such a thing must be immense!"

"Living spaceships and cybernetic soldiers", Audenauer breathed, "Their technological know-how must be staggering".

"Which makes them a real threat if they ever get wind of the Alliance's existence", Bevel added.

"Well, that's why you – and these pieces of Cylon technology – are here", Audenauer replied, "because if they are using biological engineering as a big part of their war machine, then a biological approach may be the best way to combat it".

"Cannon fire and missiles seem to do a good job of combating them", Bevel stated, "but a biological weapon targeting their creations will probably do a more thorough job."

"Let's talk a little bit more of this over lunch", Audenauer suggested, "plus I'd like to chat with you more about this humanoid Cylon you caught on board".

"So long as it's not another fish dish", Bevel replied, "Why you built your laboratory on an ocean world of all places is a little beyond me".

"Good place to keep our work secret", Audenauer replied, "but as for lunch, I'll see if I can find something 'non-fishy' for you…"

Unknown to either Audenauer or Bevel, looking in on them from a secret alcove by means of a concealed monitor sat a man wearing blue gloves. The significance of these biologically-engineered weapons and automaton soldiers was not lost on him.

"If we could reproduce this technology", the blue-gloved spy thought to himself, "There's no limit to what we can do". He knew that his report on this discovery would interest the Corporation CEO very much…


	27. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

**PLANET MIRANDA – AXIOM SPACEPORT – MAO TSE-TUNG RESTAURANT**

As Grant Wise and Ginnie Annan were sampling some of the restaurant cuisine, Ginnie was quietly talking to Grant about a number of things that she had found out through the archives regarding the de-populating of Earth-That-Was.

"According to these records, when the ecological collapse was on the verge of happening on Earth-That-Was, there were two avenues of escape – and thus assuring survival for Humanity: the terra-forming of worlds which resulted in the Alliance", Ginnie said, "and the other was by means of a distortion in space-time that allowed a human colony to be formed over eighty million years in Earth's past. That was called the 'Terra Nova' project, and evidentially, they had gotten a number of 'pilgrimages' through before the final collapse and the mass-exodus to the Alliance worlds".

"But wouldn't that create paradoxes?" Wise asked, amazed at what Ginnie was telling him.

"According to the archive, the space-time distortion opened up to an alternative timeline past, which made such paradoxes impossible", Ginnie explained.

"But what you told me about items on Earth-That-Was you found in the archives regarding the twelve colonies – not just Kobol and the thirteenth tribe – seems to indicate that some form of time travel may have happened", Grant pointed out, "Do you think that is what may have happened to the GALACTICA and the ships that were with her?"

"Until we can get the expedition running and a close-up look at the obelisk, Grant", Ginnie replied, "I can't say for sure. It could simply be that elements of the other Twelve tribes accompanied the thirteenth to Earth and they had input into the naming of the Earth-That-Was' landmarks".

"Considering that a lot of them are variations of Battlestar names, I don't think so", Grant said in response, "Do you really think that it could be a co-incidence?"

"Since there seems to be no evidence of paradoxes in this time-line", we have to keep our options open", Ginnie said.

"Ginnie", Grant said not unkindly, "If our time-line had been altered, we would not know it. We would simply adapt to the new reality".

"A reality where the people here are actually descendents of the Cylon Holocaust, and not the thirteenth tribe?" Ginnie asked.

"You're forgetting that that un-programmed F-T-L jump we did to escape that Cylon Ambush was extremely long, and we all had lingering side-effects from it. It could be that as well as distance, we jumped forward in time by many thousands of years rather than the GALACTICA going back in time", Grant replied.

Ginnie stared at Grant for a minute without speaking. Could it be?

"If that is true, then the Cylons never succeeded in destroying the GALACTICA and they successfully started things again", Ginnie said at last, "but if that is so, then where are the artifacts from the GALACTICA in the archive?"

"As you said: when we can get to Earth and take a closer look, then it may provide us with the answers", Grant replied, "but I think that this information better be sent directly via the next raptor flight to our embassy instructing them to forward it to Commander Cain… and no-one else at this time", Grant suggested.

"Why?" Ginnie asked.

"Cain has sold the Alliance on us staying here to help prevent a possible Cylon threat to them", Grant replied, "and as such, the Alliance is starting to build our type of ships. What do you think may happen if there is no longer a Cylon threat to contend with if the Cylons last fought humanity tens of millennia ago?"

Ginnie nodded at that. Grant had told her earlier about Cain's diplomatic mission to the Core, and that the Alliance was proceeding with an initial construction order of four battlestars and an indefinite number of vipers and raptors to go with them. Such a revelation could have a lot of nasty reverberations, and – in the worst case – threaten the PEGASUS crew's well-being on Miranda.

"Besides", Grant added, "Who is to say that even if we did go forward in time, that the Cylons are no more? For all we know, they could have expanded their 'race', in which case there is still a potential threat".

"Good point, Grant", Ginnie replied, "Well, I'm sure that when the report reaches Commander Cain, it will give him a lot to think about".

"Better use a secure code", Grant advised, "And don't leave any notes out".

**PLANET LONDINIUM – COLONIAL EMBASSY – THREE DAYS LATER**

"Good Morning, Commander", Glen Sanders said as he entered his office, "A raptor arrived with our diplomatic pouches. There are three communications for you".

He passed over a data disc to Cain, who took them.

"Who are they from, Glen?" Cain asked.

"According to the index, one is from Colonel Tolen, the second is from Captain Cain, and the last one is from Lieutenant Annan… although that last one is a little strange", Glen replied/

"How so, Glen?" Cain asked.

"It's not listed as urgent, but the message is encoded on the Zeta-Cipher", Glen replied, which caused Cain's eyebrows to raise some. The Zeta-Cipher was a 'Commanders Eyes Only' code. Annan could use it, but it was on the understanding that it was to be reserved for emergencies only.

"You mind if I use your console?" Cain asked.

"Go right ahead, Commander", Glen replied, "I have to head over to Parliament to give more information about our Colonial History to the Archive Committee".

"Have fun, Mr. Ambassador", Cain replied with a smile.

"They are boring meetings, but they do serve a decent lunch. Have a good day, Commander", Glen said as he left the office.

Cain got up and went over to Glen's desk. Sitting down, he placed the disc in the appropriate slot and looked at the data. He decided to read Tolen's communication first…

_FROM: G. Tolen, Col._

_TO: G. Cain, Cmr._

_Commander,_

_The PEGASUS has completed her initial post-overhaul shakedown cruise, and have passed with flying colors. The sortie to the Core Worlds will take place on schedule. Two squadrons will remain to cover New Picon, along with the peregrine, one raptor, one javelin, and the stealth raptor. _

_The crew complement – Colonial and Alliance is adequate to maintain the PEGASUS at full combat readiness, so there will be no worries there. _

_All-in-all, things are looking very good, and I'm happy that the Alliance isn't wasting any time with their battlestar construction program. The PEGASUS should impress everyone who sees her okay._

_Looking forward to seeing you back in CIC when we reach Londinium._

_Geoff._

Nodding, Cain turned to the letter from Tricia.

_Dad,_

_Gene finally proposed to me. I never thought I'd hear those words coming out of his mouth. I guess that now we're living on a planet and not having to constantly fly vipers made a difference in his outlook. _

_I know you think highly of Gene Syke, and I know that as his wife, we will live happily, and – with a little bit of luck – continue the Cain family tree, but please truly let me know that you will be all right with Gene as your son-in-law._

_Gene and I will be going along with the PEGASUS on the sortie to the Core, so don't bother writing. We'll see you soon._

_I love you, Dad._

_Tricia._

Cain dried his eyes after re-reading the letter. His daughter was getting married. He could think of no better person than Gene Syke as a husband for her. And with the Cain family tree continuing on, that was the part that made him the happiest. He would have no problems giving his blessing on this union.

After a few minutes of contemplation over Tricia's letter, he then turned to the one from Lieutenant Annan. He activated the decoding program, and quickly tapped in the de-coding key to render Annan's report readable. He wondered what Annan may have found in the archive to make her use this code…

Several minutes later, he leaned back in his seat. The information - and its potential reverberations – was incredible. Could it be that they had not only traveled in space, but also in time? He had been skeptical as to the concept of time travel, but Earth-That-Was' 'Terra-Nova' project showed that it could be done. And if what Annan said was true, then there was no need to look for the GALACTICA as her descendents were here!

Cain opened a file and tapped out a message for Colonel Tolen. After several minutes, he encoded it, and then copied it to a disc. Cain then pressed a buzzer on the desk. Lieutenant Vansen walked in.

"Yes, Commander?" Vansen asked.

"Send this message back to the raptor before it departs for the return run to Miranda", Cain ordered, handing the disc over to Vansen.

"Yes, Commander", Vansen acknowledged, "Oh, and by the way, your lunch appointment with Speaker Howell is set for noon. I've arranged a transport for you".

"Thanks, Jet", Cain replied, "Better get that disc over to the outgoing pouch".

**PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON SETTLEMENT – SERENITY FREIGHTWAYS OFFICE**

"Hey, Inara", Kaylee said brightly, "Glad to see you're back".

"The peregrine makes for a lot faster travel, so I'm back a lot quicker than I would have been otherwise", Inara replied.

"Hopefully, this trip of yours to the Core was uneventful", Zoe said, remembering the time that they were on Ariel ripping off drugs from a hospital.

"This trip was a lot more fun, actually", Inara replied, "I got to visit the Admiralty, the Colonial Embassy, Parliament, and the Fleet dry-dock on Sihnon".

"The Embassy", Mal said as he entered the lounge, "And how was Ambassador Sanders?"

Inara caught a funny tone of voice in Mal's question.

"He's fine, and he wanted me to convey his regards, and congratulations to SERENITY and her crew", Inara replied.

"The F-T-L and its navi-comp has been fitted", Kaylee said, "and with SERENITY's hull strengthened, we should be able to cover a lot more ground in a lot quicker time".

"We'll be primarily taking tyllium to various Alliance posts in and around the Core", Mal explained, "and it's a long-term contract, so when you screen your clients, you'll be able to give 'em all a better idea of your availability schedule".

Inara nodded. With the SERENITY now capable of F-T-L, that meant faster runs, and therefore more time for her to do her business while Mal delivered Tyllium fuel. She thought that Mal would have a problem with delivering fuel to the people who defeated his side in the Unification War, but it was steady work, and with SERENITY being the only civilian ship for the time being with F-T-L, that would make them a valued commodity…

"Some of them Alliance folk here weren't too keen on us getting the F-T-L before they did, but Colonel Tolen told 'em that we was under contract, and that shut 'em up good", Jayne said.

"I can imagine", Inara replied.

"Anyway, Inara", Kaylee said, "You should see the work they did to both shuttles. Both are so shiny! And the Colonel said that with the same type of F-T-L they use on them raptors, that'll make 'em even better".

"They are putting F-T-L on the shuttles?" Inara asked.

"The colonel said that if we show 'em how reliable we are, then they will F-T-L our shuttles as a bonus", Mal replied, "and if that ain't a good incentive, I don't know what is".

Inara nodded, then – with Kaylee leading the way – walked through the restored and refitted interior of SERENITY…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – DOCKED WITH MIRANDA SENTINEL POST**

"So our engineers did all right?" Commandant Dahl asked Tolen.

"That shakedown was practically flawless", Tolen replied, "and with your stellar maps programmed into the navi-comp, the PEGASUS is ready to assume its new role with the Alliance anytime".

The shakedown cruise took place a day after the PEGASUS left dry-dock in as pristine a shape from the day she was first commissioned. The cruise tested various systems, plus verifying that the navi-comp's new programming worked. The two small jumps that the PEGASUS did testified to both the F-T-L's integrity, and the navi-comp's accuracy. Now, shortly after the PEGASUS returned to Miranda – docking with the sentinel post – Tolen was on board the sentinel post giving a debrief to the Officer in command.

"Well, I'm sure that Parliament will be itching to see their new acquisition, Colonel", Dahl said, "and I'm glad that you're going to be transferring into the navy as well".

"I've been short-listed to command one of the new battlestars – if not the PEGASUS – and the transfer is necessary to make sure I get the command", Tolen replied.

"Well, from what I've seen, the Alliance will get one heck of a new Commandant", Dahl replied, offering his hand.

Tolen shook Dahl's hand, then said, "I'm not one of those 'settle-down' types. I think the term you use is a 'Quarterdeck breed'".

"I know what you mean", Dahl replied, "and like you, I feel at home up here in space. Who knows: once the battlestars come on line, we can get back to deep space exploration again. That's what I'd like to do".

"Just so long as you don't end up bumping into a Cylon task force", Tolen said dryly.

Dahl chuckled, then asked, "So everything is set for departure to Ariel?"

"Yep", Tolen replied, "and once Admiral Hendrix comes on board, it's to Londinium to wow Parliament, and that's when Commander Cain will resume command. Then it's on to Sihnon. Even with the cover story as to the PEGASUS, she should still be a crowd-pleaser".

Dahl nodded. He had read the carefully prepared cover story which would explain the PEGASUS, the vipers, raptor, and peregrine to the Alliance populace, not to mention the F-T-L. All to avoid the risk of culture shock. Dahl idly wondered how long the story would stay in place…


	28. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

**PLANET LONDINIUM – LEE TENG-HUI (FIVE-STAR) RESTAURANT**

"Garris", Sophia commented, "You haven't eaten very much. You look like someone with a lot on his mind".

Cain looked up at Sophia, who was seated opposite him in this private dining room. Sophia had invited Cain here so that he could sample some of the best cuisine that the Alliance could offer, and Cain liked the taste of some of the items, but he was thinking about Lieutenant Annan's report.

"I'm sorry, Sophia", Cain replied, "I guess I miss being away from the PEGASUS for so long". He hoped that his glib reply would sooth Sophia.

"Well, you won't be away from her for much longer", Sophia said, "In three days, you'll be showing me and a lot of influential parliamentarians what the PEGASUS has to offer. I'm really looking forward to it".

"It's just that the PEGASUS has been like a 'surrogate wife' to me", Cain replied, "and since I've decided to accept the commission offered to me by Admiral Hendrix, I won't be responsible for just one battlestar".

"I'm glad you decided to accept, Garris. And as for the PEGASUS… well, you could establish her as your flagship".

"But I won't be the commander… or should I say 'commandant' of her any more", Garris explained, "I'd be the flag officer in charge of the task force the PEGASUS would be a part of, but being the commander is something special".

Sophia put her hand on Cain's and looked into his eyes.

"There is an ancient Earth-That-Was saying that all good things must come to an end", Sophia gently said, "but you shouldn't look upon giving up the PEGASUS as an end; look upon it as a new beginning. With the other battlestars under your command, you'll be passing on your experience and legacy to the others who will command them".

"Thanks, Sophia", Cain replied, "That means a lot to me".

"By the way", Sophia said by way of changing the subject, "I really liked hearing that you not only hired SERENITY to do the tyllium runs, but that you also had the F-T-L installed on board her".

"I thought that SERENITY was a dirty word in Parliament", Cain responded.

"Not to me", Sophia answered, "In fact, it was because of the exposé regarding the first Miranda colony that I ended up getting the Speaker's chair. Parliament thought that my taking over the position would soothe the electorate who were up in arms over the revelations of the exposé".

Cain just then had an idea, but he didn't let it show.

"I heard that there was a lot of cleaning house in the wake of that scandal", Cain said, "and a fair number of MP's, and cabinet members ended up getting the boot".

"True, and the previous speaker decided that Parliament needed a new leader to quell the grumbling, so he stepped down and became a back-bench MP, and I ended up being the replacement", Sophia explained, "so SERENITY is certainly not on my hit-list".

"Well, I'm sure that Parliament is in good hands with you watching over things", Cain said with a smile, "Anyway, I'd better finish off lunch, otherwise the chefs at this five-star restaurant might end up getting their feelings hurt…"

**COLONIAL EMBASSY – ONE HOUR LATER**

"Has the raptor departed yet?" Cain asked Glen Sanders as he walked into his office.

"It is scheduled to leave in five minutes, Commander", Glen replied.

"Hold its departure", Cain ordered, "I have another message to compose and to place in the pouch".

Glen got the message. He stood up and left the office. Cain sat down at the desk and activated the console. He started typing:

_FROM: G. Cain, Commander_

_TO: M. Reynolds, Freighter SERENITY_

_Mal,_

_Delay your shakedown cruise to test the F-T-L. You are requested to take SERENITY and to land on PEGASUS. I need you, your ship, and your crew here on Londinium as soon as possible. I will explain later._

_Show Colonel Tolen this communication, and have him load an extra raptor on board PEGASUS. Needless to say, show this communication to no-one except Colonel Tolen. _

_Garris_

Quickly, Cain downloaded the message onto a disc and removed the disc from the slot. Getting up, he walked out of the office and handed the disc to Glen, who passed it on to Vansen. Vansen left the office to get up to the rooftop landing pad.

**RAPTOR THREE – EMBASSY ROOFTOP LANDING PAD**

"Hey Jet", the pilot of the raptor said, "Why did the Old Man delay our departure?"

"Can't say", Vansen replied as he entered the cockpit, "Where's the pouch?"

The pilot pointed to a stowage bin just behind him. Vansen opened it, and then entered a code on the combination lock that kept the diplomatic pouch sealed. Placing in Cain's disc, Vansen resealed the pouch and locked it carefully. As the lock also was an explosive device that would incinerate the pouch and its contents if the incorrect code was entered – or if the pouch was improperly opened – it explained why Vansen was being so careful.

"Okay, I'm done", Vansen said, "Time for you to get going".

With that, Vansen slapped the pilot on the shoulder. Nodding to the RSO, Vansen left the raptor.

As the RSO closed and secured the hatch, the pilot powered up the raptor's engines.

"What do you suppose that was all about?" the RSO mused aloud.

"If the Old Man wanted us to know, he'd have sent us a letter", the pilot replied, "We'd better be on our way".

Deftly, the pilot lifted the raptor off the landing pad and headed the raptor on a course into space. He wondered a little about the message, but knew that if it was anything he needed to know, he would be told…

**PLANET MIRANDA - BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER - THREE DAYS LATER**

"Your people all squared away, Captain Reynolds?" Tolen asked.

"No problem there, Colonel", Mal replied, "Though I can't say that some of the Alliance folk on board would be overly happy if they knew SERENITY was on board. She looks so small inside your landing bay too".

"Glad to have you on board", Tolen responded, "and don't worry about SERENITY: she's secured".

"You think that those huge cloth covers your people have been putting over her is going to be enough to keep that fact from the Alliance folk?" Mal asked.

"Whatever the Commander wants your ship – and the extra raptor for", Tolen said quietly, "hopefully it's for a good reason. The last thing I need on this run to Ariel is for Alliance folk still frakked-off about your exposing what happened to Miranda to look at your ship and ask awkward questions. Once we get to Londinium, then it won't matter so much as other FIREFLY-class freighters are in use there and we can get you off without a fuss".

Mal nodded. At Tolen's urging, he had River pilot SERENITY to PEGASUS during a time period that only Colonial personnel were on duty in CIC. With SERENITY on board the battlestar, and covered up, it was hoped that the Alliance wouldn't cotton on to their presence. In keeping with that, Tolen had the SERENITY crew ensconced in one of the Silver Spar squadron bunk rooms, and colonial marines discretely keeping watch on the covered freighter.

"Well, at least I look good. Here's hoping that the disguise is good enough", Mal commented.

Mal was on CIC wearing the uniform of a bridge officer. Thanks to Doctor Wilkin Ashley, Mal's hair was dyed black and a convincing-looking false moustache was added to the disguise. Just then, both Mal and Tolen heard a voice…

"Colonel", Sub-Commander Ibsen said as he walked onto CIC, "I just wanted to let you know that all of the vipers have landed and are being stowed. We are ready to depart at your discretion".

Turning away from Mal, Tolen looked at the person who was the senior ranking officer of the Alliance personnel on board PEGASUS.

"Enjoying acting as PEGASUS XO, Brent?" Tolen asked with a smile.

"About as much as you are as the acting Commandant… I mean, Commander", Ibsen replied with a similar smile.

"Well then, we'd better get our departure clearance from the Sentinel post. We've got a little trip to make…", Tolen said.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – SILVER SPAR BRIEFING ROOM**

"Okay, people", Syke said to the pilots assembled, "When we reach Ariel, the Admiralty brass will be watching. Colonel Tolen wants an impressive display, and I want Silver Spar to really knock their socks off".

"Are we going to do a standard fly-by, Bojay?" One of the pilots asked.

"No, Condor", Syke replied, "The Colonel wants to have us launch and deploy in a combat formation. The Admiralty brass has seen enough of the pretty stuff: we are supposed to show them just how quickly two squadrons can launch and deploy".

"Will you be leading, Bojay?" Lieutenant Halley asked.

"Not this time, Ratchet", Syke replied, "Nor is Sheba. I'd like you and Pacer to lead your squadrons. I'll leave you two to brief your pilots accordingly".

With that, Syke left the briefing room. Both Lieutenant Halley and Lieutenant Warden stood to take over the briefing.

As Syke walked to his office, Tricia joined him. She said, "I'm pretty impressed with what the Alliance techs have done to the PEGASUS. I've never seen any battlestar look so pristine".

"So long as she can still fight and launch the strike wing, that'll satisfy me", Syke replied, "It's a pity that you and I won't be leading the formation".

"Tolen wants us available to brief Admiral Hendrix, so that's that", Tricia reminded him, "but I know what you mean".

"This could be the last time that Silver Spar will deploy", Syke said a little sadly, "I overheard Ibsen mention to Tolen that the wing would more than likely be disbanded and the squadrons dispersed to the new battlestars as the foundation for their new Strike Wings".

Tricia nodded slowly. She wasn't surprised at what Syke had said. If the Alliance was going to get their battlestars' strike wings operational as soon as possible, that meant Silver Spar's squadrons would have to be dispersed, which meant the wing's demise.

"Silver Spar has been more than just a command to you, hasn't it?" Tricia asked Gene gently.

"She's been my baby since I became CAG", Syke replied, "Commanding her has been both a boon – and a curse – the latter of course when we lose a pilot, and we have lost plenty since the toasters fried the colonies. Still, I love every one of the pilots on the wing, and it's not going to be easy to say goodbye".

"We have our new lives together to look forward to, Gene", Tricia consoled, "and the pilots of Silver Spar will be a credit to their new strike wings. You have done more than anybody to make Silver Spar a crack unit, and I for one am proud of that… and not just because you are my husband-to-be".

Syke smiled and squeezed Tricia's hand. It was certainly a high note to depart on, and once they were wed, and returned to New Picon, then they would be able to start their new civilian lives as husband and wife.

**DEFENSE ATTACHE'S RAPTOR - 0.25 AU FROM ARIEL – TWO HOURS LATER**

With a flash, the raptor exited its F-T-L jump from high orbit over Ariel. After quickly recovering from the brief sensation of nausea, the person in the co-pilot's seat turned to face the pilot.

"I like this raptor very much, Captain", Admiral Hendrix said to Tom Sanders, "and painting my flag on the side was a very nice touch. I have to say, I'm looking forward to seeing the PEGASUS".

"So am I, Admiral", Tom replied, "and thanks for ensuring that all civilian traffic had been cleared from the F-T-L departure point".

"Admirals do have some influence around here", Hendrix replied tongue-in-cheek, "and we're not ready just yet to announce the cover story".

"I have to say that you picked up on the raptor's systems pretty quickly, Admiral", Sanders commented, "even though trainees do like the relative un-sophistication of the flight controls, they don't normally get the hang of things as fast as you do".

"I used to be a gunship pilot", Hendrix explained, "and the number of controls on one of them are quite a lot by comparison!"

"Don't I know it!" Tom replied with a laugh, "When Hoxha showed me a gunship cockpit, I wondered how any pilot could fly it without another pair of hands and arms grafted onto him!".

"Well, I see that the RSO console back aft is about as complicated as a gunship console", Hendrix commented, "my aide is still staring at it, wondering how it all works".

"When we get the training program set up, there won't be any problems getting your people up to speed, Admiral", Tom assured him as he looked at his chronometer, " in any case, the PEGASUS should be coming in just about…"

With a flash, the imposing leviathan that as the Battlestar PEGASUS came into existence some two kilometers ahead of them. Hendrix looked at the warship with awe while Tom smiled broadly seeing how pristine the restored battlestar looked. Just then, the wireless came to life.

"Core Command to Blister", Sanders heard, "We've got you on Dradis. You're cleared for landing on Port Bay pad two".

"Understood, Home Plate", Tom acknowledged, "We're heading in. It's good to see you again", he added.

"It's good to see you too, Blister", Core Command replied, "Welcome back, Captain".

"Thanks, Ginnie", Tome replied, recognizing the voice as that of Lieutenant Annan.

"So Admiral", Tom asked rhetorically, "Shall we go on in?"

"Let's do it", Hendrix replied, "I can't wait to get on board".


	29. Chapter 29

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – PORT LANDING BAY – HANGER TWO.**

As the hatch of the raptor opened up, the first thing that Admiral Hendrix saw was an honor guard of Colonial and Alliance marines formed up on either side of the hatch, forming a cordon to where Colonel Tolen was waiting to greet him.

Snapping a salute to the guard as they presented arms, Hendrix walked up to Colonel Tolen, where he initiated a salute.

"Permission to come aboard, Colonel?" Hendrix requested formally, as per Colonial protocol shown him earlier by Tom Sanders.

"Permission granted, Admiral", Tolen replied, returning the salute. Hendrix then offered his hand.

"You are Colonel Tolen, I presume", Hendrix asked rhetorically, "Commander Cain told me a lot about you".

"Commander Cain briefed me about you too, Admiral", Tolen replied, "I welcome you on board the Colonial Battlestar PEGASUS. Your flag, please".

Hendrix's aide, followed by Tom Sanders, exited the raptor. The aide carried Hendrix's four-starred Admiral's flag. Behind Tolen, Lieutenant Annan marched up.

"I request to take the flag to CIC where it will be displayed", Annan requested formally after saluting the aide.

"Permission granted. The Flag is transferred to PEGASUS", the aide replied, handing the flag to Annan.

"Colonel", Annan said, "Permission to display the Admiral's flag?"

"Granted, Lieutenant", Tolen replied.

As Annan did a smart about-face and exited the hangar deck, Sergeant Haig called the Marines to attention. Both Hendrix and Tolen watched them march out of the hangar.

"A very smart honor guard, Colonel", Hendrix said, "You and Commander Cain know how to keep discipline".

"One of the perks of being an XO is to be the nasty whip-holder", Tolen replied, "plus the more that I do to make the Commander's job easier, the better".

"Don't I know it!" Hendrix agreed, "Back when the Unification War started, I was the XO of the IAV RICHTER, and I must have done a good job because I wasn't overly liked".

"Any XO who is liked by the crew doesn't belong in the job", Tolen answered, "but at the moment, I'm the acting Commander, and now that you're here, we can make the run to Ariel on sub-light, so if you'll follow me up to CIC, you'll have a good view of things".

"Do you mind if we go by way of one of the squadron launch tubes?" Hendrix asked, "After seeing how well a viper flies, I'd like to see one ready to launch".

"No problem, Admiral", Tolen said, "If you and your aide will follow me.…"

As they left, Tom Sanders turned back to the raptor. He had to get it ready just in case it was needed for launch.

"Good to see you again, Captain", Chief Krag greeted Sanders, "I'll get my people onto the raptor".

"Thanks, Chief", Tom replied, "It's good to be back, and it's good to see the Old Girl reborn again".

"That's for sure", Krag replied, "I'll let you know when the raptor is readied for launch".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"In some ways, the interior of the PEGASUS is really utilitarian compared with an Alliance cruiser", Hendrix commented, "but I like that a lot! It shows that this is a ship that means business!"

"The joke we had back in the Colonies, Admiral", Tolen replied, "was that the Fleet Admiral said to the designer of the GALACTICA-class: 'Make it evil. Make it totally clear that the battlestar has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear that whoever or whatever is on the wrong end is going to have a bad time of it. If that means sticking blackened spikes and prongs all over the hull, then so be it. This is not a ship designed for cruising and relaxing on, it's a ship designed to go out and make the enemy miserable with'".

"That's the kind of designer we needed for our ships, Colonel", Hendrix replied with a laugh, "The DORTMUNDER-class may have all the weapons and gunships needed, but apart from the size, it doesn't look nearly as imposing as a battlestar".

"Well, if what Commander Cain said in his last brief is accurate, you'll soon be having battlestars of your own to be imposing with", Tolen responded.

"And you'll have one of your own too, if I have any say in it", Hendrix said, "After what not only Commander Cain, but also Secretary Cameron and Speaker Howell said about you, I have no problem in offering you a position in the Alliance Navy as a commandant".

"Thank you, Admiral", Tolen replied after shaking Hendrix's offered hand, "but before I can think of transferring to the Alliance Navy, I've got to finish off this sortie, so if you'll excuse me…"

Nodding, Hendrix watched Tolen crisply give orders to the CIC crew. While the PEGASUS continued on her sub-light run to Ariel, Lieutenant Annan played the role of guide, showing Hendrix and his aide the various consoles and other command stations in CIC.

"I understand that you are the Core Command officer", Hendrix said recognizing Annan's voice from the wireless communication on the raptor.

"That's correct, Admiral", Annan replied, "It's my job to authorize launches and landings of all ships in the PEGASUS' landing bays, and to give the squadron commanders their initial vectors".

"Sounds like quite a job, Lieutenant", Hendrix said.

"You'll get to see a sample of it when we arrive in orbit over Ariel", Annan replied, "Colonel Tolen thought you'd want to see just how fast we can deploy the two viper squadrons we have on board".

"I thought that there were usually four viper squadrons to a strike wing", Hendrix's aide said.

"That's correct, Sub-Commandant", Annan confirmed, "The other two squadrons are at the New Picon spaceport. Just in case the Reavers want to try and make a visit in the PEGASUS' absence".

"Even with just two squadrons, I'm looking forward to seeing the deployment", Hendrix said.

**PLANET ARIEL – ADMIRALTY SENTINEL POST – ONE HOUR LATER**

"Would you look at that!" the Watch Officer breathed as he saw the PEGASUS approach the sentinel post.

"I told you that a battlestar looks impressive", Lieutenant Higgins replied.

Higgins was acting as the liaison to the Admiralty VIP's who were on board the sentinel post to see the arrival of the PEGASUS. Judging from the look on their faces, he could see that the brass were impressed at the sight of her.

"I can't wait to see the interior after she docks", Admiral Lutjens said. Lutjens was Hendrix's deputy commander of the Alliance Navy.

"Well, there is something going to be happening just before then, Admiral", Higgins replied.

"Oh? Like what, Lieutenant?" Lutjens inquired.

"That", Higgins replied, pointing out the viewport.

Lutjens and the other VIP's gasped as they saw vipers being catapulted out of the PEGASUS' landing bays. In less than a minute, thirty-six vipers had launched and were making a quick run in on the sentinel post.

"Don't worry, Gentlemen", Higgins said, "It's only a mock attack. Admiral Hendrix had wondered how quickly we could deploy our strike wing, so we decided to show him… and you too".

The VIP's – and the sentinel post crew – watched as the vipers bore in on the post from two different directions, swooping in to make their mock-attack run, then pulling away.

"Now you'll see them make a combat landing on the PEGASUS. You may want to watch your chronometers", Higgins said next as the vipers streaked back to the landing bays.

In less than two minutes, all vipers had made their combat landings on board the battlestar. Lutjens nodded, impressed with the display.

"That is most impressive, Lieutenant", Lutjens said with massive understatement, "We can't launch and deploy our gunships anywhere near as fast as that".

"But the PEGASUS would be defenseless without her fighters", Rear-Admiral Ciliax pointed out.

"Colonel Tolen thought that that question may arise", Higgins replied as he pointed once again out of the viewport.

The PEGASUS had launched several remote drones that darted about above the battlestar. Almost immediately, the suppression batteries and missile silos on the topside of the PEGASUS let loose with a torrential barrage that vaporized the drones.

"I stand corrected", Ciliax said contritely.

"Colonel Tolen will hopefully have the opportunity to demonstrate the rail gun on the run to Londinium", Higgins said, "but if not, I hope that what we showed you gives you some idea of what kind of punishment a battlestar can dish out".

"What kind of punishment can one absorb?" Lutjens asked.

"The hull can take a direct hit from a twenty kiloton tactical nuclear warhead", Higgins replied, "and she'll still be able to fight".

The VIP's looked at each other. A battlestar was armored that well?

"Of course, more than one may present a problem", Higgins added, "which is why we rely on the suppression batteries to take out any nukes before they can hit us".

"I'm certainly impressed, Lieutenant Higgins", Lutjens said, "And I think that Admiral Hendrix is as well".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER **

"I'm certainly impressed", Hendrix said to Tolen after the vipers had landed.

"Turn-around time is critical on deployments", Tolen said, "which is why the vipers that have combat-landed get guided by magnetic guides to various airlock hatches. There they are taken in, and the bays quickly repressurized, and once that's done, the vipers are quickly refueled and rearmed, then put back in the launch tubes for re-launch. We've gotten squadrons cycled through in under five minutes".

"My staff is going to be busy mopping up the drool still dripping off their faces after we dock at the sentinel post", Hendrix jokingly prophesized, "None of our cruisers can compare with that type of turn-around for our gunship squadrons!".

"Once your battlestars are built, commissioned, and operational with trained crews, you'll be as good – or better – than what you saw today", Tolen assured him.

"Let's dock with the post, and then before Admiral Lutjens and his party come on board, I'll authorize the release of the cover story", Hendrix said.

**PLANET LONDINIUM – PARLIAMENT - SPEAKER HOWELL'S OFFICE.**

"Looks like the PEGASUS made a splash with the Admirals, Garris", Sophia Howell said, passing a newspaper to Cain.

Cain looked at the flowing text and illustrations on the paper. The front page showed a spread of the PEGASUS in orbit over Ariel. The headlines read: PROTOTYPE OF NEW CLASS OF ALLIANCE WARSHIP IN ORBIT OVER ARIEL. SECRET RESEARCH PROJECT UNVEILED. ADMIRALTY IMPRESSED WITH PERFORMANCE OF BATTLESTAR.

"You think that the general public will buy the story?" Cain asked.

"No-one outside the ones in the Navy and Parliament familiar with the PEGASUS' arrival knows that any other humans exist anywhere else in space, so what else can they believe?" Sophia replied, "I know that you don't like to keep your origins secret", she added, "but with the very real problems that could arise from culture shock, it's better that we don't risk that for now".

"Yeah, I know", Cain replied, "I've already gotten a brief about the theological aspects. A lot of folk could regard us as heretic or paganistic - and vice versa – despite the secular nature of the government. Still, I'll be glad when the truth can finally be revealed. It would certainly give additional impetus to deep space exploration".

"That's what PEST wants, and the F-T-L drive will make their plans a reality", Sophia said.

Cain didn't reply. The Planetary Exploration and Survey Trust were already thirsting to go along with the first PEGASUS expedition to Earth-That-Was, but the revelations of Lieutenant Annan's report and the reverberations that could happen if her theory was correct meant that PEST could not be involved just yet… Just then, Sophia spoke again.

"I'm looking forward to visiting the PEGASUS when she arrives at Londinium", Sophia said, "I just can't wait to meet your daughter, and your future son-in-law".

"Me too", Cain replied with feeling, "In fact, I'm looking forward to being back in CIC. It may be the last time for me, and I want to make it a memorable one".

"I know that in a way, it will be saying goodbye, Garris", Sophia said quietly, "and I'm glad that I can be there with you".

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Sophia", Cain replied quietly.

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION HEADQUARTERS – CEO'S OFFICE**

"So the PEGASUS has made her official debut", the CEO said as he looked up at the huge view-screen in his office that showed the battlestar at Ariel.

"The cover story seems to be holding up okay", one of the executives present said, "And our people are keeping a watchful eye out for any possible leaks".

"With the PEGASUS away from Miranda, we should be able to get a closer look at the viper mark 7's and the raptors there, as well as the tyllium refinery", the CEO said, "so make sure our people there get all the help they need to get the information we need".

"It will be done", the executive said.

"Oh, and now that the CHIANG CHING-QUO has delivered the Viper Mark 2 to Salisbury, when can we start mass-producing them?"

"The production lines are gearing up to start production", the executive replied, "The delivered viper is being dismantled carefully for the cloning of its parts. Once done, we hope to produce up to three hundred a week initially. Very profitable venture for us".

"Good", the CEO said, "but the sooner we start building the raptors and the Mark 7's, the better. And we have to get Cain to hand over the peregrine as well. I don't like the idea of any of our competitors getting the licensee to build those instead of us".

"And what about the Cylon artifacts now on New Melbourne?" another executive asked.

"We're going to let them do the research for us", the CEO responded, "And once we get their data, we'll see just what we can do with it…"


	30. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**PLANET LONDINIUM - VIP SHUTTLE – EN-ROUTE TO BATTLESTAR PEGASUS**

Sophia looked over at Cain as he looked out of the viewport at the lovingly restored exterior of the leviathan that was the Battlestar PEGASUS. The shuttle carrying Cain, Sophia, Glen Sanders, and several representatives from Parliament had reached orbit and were on final approach to the battlestar.

Cain pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his eyes and blew his nose, muttering "Darn colds. Always get 'em".

Sophia smiled at Cain's cover-up of his emotions of seeing his command overhauled and refitted to a like-new condition. Cain saw Sophia's glance, then looked out at the viewport to where he could see one of the two viper mark 2's that were escorting the shuttle to the Starboard landing bay.

As the VIP's were marveling over both the PEGASUS and the vipers, the shuttle pilot keyed his wireless.

"Londinium Shuttle", Annan's voice came over the wireless, "You are cleared for landing on Starboard Bay pad five".

"Acknowledged, PEGASUS", the shuttle pilot replied.

The shuttle pilot had done numerous approaches and dockings to Alliance cruisers previously, but this time was different. Rather than dock onto the outside of the hull, he was going to land on a large enclosed landing deck. The perspective change was quite telling, but with Glen Sanders sitting beside him in the co-pilot's seat, he had no trouble making the approach.

The passengers and crew watched as they entered the large maw that was the entrance to the landing bay. Deftly, the shuttle pilot alit on the illuminated bay pad.

"Shut down engines, Shuttle", Annan's voice communicated, "We'll take it from here".

With the shuttle's engines off, the landing pay pad started to lower. For Cain and Glen, this was normal, but the others were watching as the deck lowered down, and then as the topside of the shuttle went below the level of the flight deck, a large hatch slid over the top.

Red lights flashed as the hangar bay repressurized. In less than a minute, the red lights went out, and were replaced with white.

"Bay has repressurized", Cain said to the others, "And I'll be the first to say: Welcome on board the PEGASUS".

As the pilot left his seat to open the hatch, the main airlock hatch to the bay opened up. A cordon of Alliance and Colonial marines marched in and took up positions outside the hatchway in the same honor guard formation that greeted Admiral Hendrix when he boarded the PEGASUS two days earlier.

Commander Cain was the first person out of the shuttle. The honor guard snapped to attention as Cain walked up to Colonel Tolen and Admiral Hendrix, who were standing at the end of the cordon.

"Commander: PEGASUS on board", Tolen intoned as he saluted Cain.

"Thank you, XO", Cain replied, returning the salute, "It's good to be back".

Cain turned to the retinue behind him, saying "Speaker Howell, you already know". Tolen nodded.

Cain then introduced the other VIP's from Parliament. Tolen saluted each one in turn. Watching the ceremony from the shuttle were the pilot and Glen Sanders.

"Your commander really stands on ceremony, doesn't he?" the pilot said to Glen.

"Only when he has to", Glen replied, "And – like all things on his ship – he likes it done perfectly".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS - COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

With Tolen leading, Cain, Sophia, Glen, and the other VIP's entered CIC.

Annan called out "Commander on Deck!". The other officers stood. Annan then walked up to Cain.

"Sir, Combat Information Center logs your return", she formally reported.

"Thank you, Lieutenant", Cain replied.

As the formalities were being concluded, Sophia looked around at the CIC. She could see that the Alliance dry-dock people did a wonderful job of refitting and restoring the CIC. Not that it was untidy when she first visited the PEGASUS with Secretary Cameron – far from it - but the evidence of the care taken during the overhaul was plain to see.

As Tolen and Annan were showing the VIP's around CIC, Hendrix walked up to Cain.

"Good to see you back, Commander", Hendrix said, "And judging from everyone's expression, I don't have a monopoly on that sentiment".

"It's good to be back, Admiral", Cain replied, "And it's good to see the Old Girl looking so pristine. She looks better than the day I first took command of her".

"Our technicians really know how to go the extra mile to getting things done", Hendrix responded.

Just then, Gene Syke and Tricia Cain entered CIC. Cain gestured to Sophia.

"Speaker Howell", Cain said formally, "May I present my CAG, Major Gene Syke, and his deputy, Captain Tricia Cain".

Sophia picked up on the names. So this is Garris' daughter and his future son-in-law, she thought. She could see the family resemblance in Tricia as she shook her hand, and Gene Syke looked like a person you could rely on.

Cain gestured to all three of them to follow him. With Cain leading, they went over to the conference room just off CIC; the same room where Sophia and Speaker Cameron had negotiated the treaty with the newly-arrived Colonials weeks before.

As Cain closed the hatch, he said to Tricia and Gene, "I don't know if there is going to be much spare time, but while I have this moment, I wanted to tell you both that you have my blessings for your marriage".

Tricia hugged and kissed her father on the cheek. Cain then offered his hand to Gene, who shook it.

"Needless to say, Gene", Cain said half-jokingly, "if anything bad happens to my daughter, my son-in-law is going to be launched out on one of the tubes… without a viper or a pressure suit. Got it?"

"Yes, Commander", Syke replied formally.

"The other thing that I wanted to speak to you about is that there is hopefully going to be more than one wedding", Cain said. He then turned to Sophia, and got down on one knee.

"I wanted to have my daughter and future Son-in-Law present, Sophia", Cain said huskily, "I love you very much. Will you marry me?"

"Commander", Sophia said formally, "your being in a position of supplication on your own battlestar is quite improper. Please stand up so that I can assent to your proposal and seal it with our lips".

Smiling, Tricia and Gene watched Cain stand up, then they watched Cain and Sophia embrace and kiss.

After their lips parted, Cain said, "With our theological and traditional differences regarding sealing a marriage union, I'm open to suggestions…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS - STARBOARD LANDING BAY**

After getting a terse two word transmission from Ginnie Annan – "Bug Out" – Mal walked onto the flight deck of SERENITY. He looked out to see several space-suited figures pull away the large tarps that covered the freighter.

"Okay, River", Mal said, "Let's ease her on out".

Deftly, River powered up SERENITY and gently lifted the freighter off the deck. Smoothly, SERENITY departed the starboard landing bay, heading on a trajectory that kept the underside of PEGASUS between them and topside – where they would otherwise be seen.

"So where to now, Mal?" Zoe asked as she walked up onto the flight deck.

"We're to land at the Embassy rooftop landing pad, take advantage of the guest accommodations, and wait until Cain returns", Mal replied.

"Well, the raptor is well-secured in the hold", Zoe said, "I wonder what Cain has in mind for us".

"Considering the potential payoff, once it's done, you won't have cause to complain", Mal replied.

"Payoff", Jayne said as he joined the others, "now that's my favorite word".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – OFFICER'S MESS – FOUR HOURS LATER.**

"I wish to propose a toast", Representative Blankman of the Naval Appropriations Committee said from his position at the banquet table, "To the PEGASUS, and to the new battlestars that are coming into the fleet after her".

With a "hear-hear", the persons at the table sipped their drinks.

"I think it's safe to say that after the tour – and the demonstration you gave us as to the deployment of the vipers", Blankman said, "there will be no problems getting more appropriations approved for the next series of battlestars".

"The MERCURY-class specs you gave us are going to be the basis for the next batch, after the initial four come off the line", Hendrix said, "and in appreciation for all you have done in order to make this possible, Commander Cain, the Admiralty naming board have given you the privilege of naming them".

"I'm very privileged Admiral", Cain replied, "in more ways than one", he added, squeezing Sophia's hand.

"So when do you want to get the ceremony over with?" Hendrix asked Cain.

"As my XO is involved, I've had him ready the crew for assembly in the Starboard landing bay", Cain replied, "The blast doors are sealed and the landing bay is being pressurized".

Hendrix was referring to the ceremony that will formally decommission the PEGASUS from the Colonial Fleet, and to re-commission the PEGASUS into the Navy of the Union of Allied Planets. Hendrix – when he had come aboard PEGASUS back at Ariel – had brought with him the new flags and insignia denoting the battlestar's new allegiance. Cain liked the artwork – a hybrid of the original insignia and the Alliance seal – and he saw the new numeric designator: BSA-01

"Officially, this is the first Alliance Battlestar, so the other four will be called the PEGASUS-class", Hendrix had explained, "So 'B.S.' stands for 'Battlestar' and 'A' stands for 'Alpha Series'. Our variants of the MERCURY-class will have the prefix of 'BSB'".

"Makes sense", Cain replied.

"Officially, this ship will be referred to as the IAV PEGASUS once commissioned in", Hendrix added.

Cain nodded at that. He had read that the Alliance Navy's ships while commissioned had the IAV prefix – short for _Inter-planet Alliance Vessel_ – added to the name, and also when the ship was commissioned, a smaller name plate bearing the name of the ship in Gemonese/Cantonese would be placed below the main name plate. Just like the Colonial Fleet, the Alliance Navy had its traditions…

"Are you going to place your flag in the PEGASUS once you're sworn in?" Hendrix asked next.

"No", Cain replied, "When Colonel Tolen is sworn in, he will take over the PEGASUS. When the other battlestars come on line, I'll place my flag in one of them".

"I would have thought that your attachment to the PEGASUS would make her the logical choice for your flagship", Lutjens said.

"If I stayed here, Colonel – I mean Commandant – Tolen would never feel that the PEGASUS is truly his to command. It's best to have a clean break, and for me to properly access the merits of the new battlestars by being on one of them".

"The first won't be ready for launch for another four weeks at least", Lutjens pointed out, "and then there's going to be the fitting-out and the shakedown cruise even before commissioning, so what will you do until then? I don't see you being the type favoring taking time off, or sitting at a desk".

"I've got plans, Admiral", Cain assured him while squeezing Sophia's hand again, "and I'm sure that things will run smoothly without me between now and the commissioning of the new battlestars".

"I'm sure they will too, Commander… I mean, Admiral", Sophia replied.

"Not just yet, Madam Speaker", Cain replied with a smile.

**STARBOARD LANDING BAY – TWO HOURS LATER.**

With the majority of the crew present on the landing bay deck, along with the assembled VIP's, plus the skeleton crew monitoring the PEGASUS listening in on the internal broadcast system, Cain first took the oath as an officer in the Alliance Navy, after which Hendrix pinned on the three stars of a Vice-Admiral. Next, Tolen took the same oath, after which Hendrix pinned on the star-shielded eagle denoting the rank of Commandant.

After the applause died down, Cain read the formal document decommissioning the PEGASUS from the Colonial Fleet. After nodding to the Colonial honor guard who trooped the PEGASUS' colonial flag off the podium, Admiral Hendrix read the order commissioning the IAV PEGASUS – BAS-01 into the Alliance Navy. All present gave three cheers as the Alliance honor guard trooped on the new flag and commission pennant. After the hubbub had died down some, Cain spoke.

"I now hereby hand command of the Battlestar IAV PEGASUS to Commandant Geoffrey Tolen" he said formally. The landing bay grew silent and – it seemed to Sophia – melancholic as it sank in that the heroic long-serving commander that had pulled the PEGASUS through so many battles was finally stepping down from command. Cain then turned to Tolen.

Tolen saluted, saying, "I relieve you, Sir".

Cain returned the salute, replying, "Thank you, Sir. I stand relieved".

"It feels strange, after so long in space", Tolen said to the people assembled, "to be the person now commanding this battlestar. The name PEGASUS will always be associated by the people who serve on her with Admiral Garris Cain, and if I only end up doing half as well commanding her as Admiral Cain did, then I will feel that I've succeeded. With the decommissioning of the PEGASUS from the Colonial Fleet, an era has come to an end. Let us all devote ourselves to the new era before her serving and protecting the people of the Union of Allied Planets".

With polite applause, the crew of the PEGASUS welcomed and acknowledged their new commander. The new XO of the PEGASUS - newly appointed Sub-Commandant Brinkman – made his first formal announcement.

"All standing orders to remain in force for the time being", he said, "Colonial personnel transferring to the Alliance Navy are to remain for administration of the oath of service, and to receive their new ranks".

At Cain's suggestion, most of the PEGASUS personnel transferring in would be going into the Alliance Navy at their same ranks, with several persons going up a grade. He had wondered who would be the new CAG, now that Gene and Tricia would be leaving the service, but he put it out of his mind. The PEGASUS was Geoff Tolen's now, and CAG assignments were his responsibility…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMMANDER CAIN'S CABIN – ONE HOUR LATER.**

Quickly stuffing his remaining items into a tote bag – his other belongings had been taken off back at Miranda – he looked around the empty cabin. Nodding, he then went to the wall safe, opened it, and took out a wallet containing some mementoes and the vintage bottle of Ambrosia that he and Bill Adama were supposed to drink back on Caprica to mark their respective retirements. Placing the bottle in his tote bag, he went to leave the cabin when the door opened.

"Geoff… I mean, Commandant", Cain said, "I've got everything, so you can move your stuff in at your discretion".

"Thanks, Admiral", Tolen replied, "You know, I've always dreamt of the day when I would have a battlestar command. I never thought it would be yours though".

Cain offered his hand. Tolen shook it.

"You'll make a great commander, Geoff", Cain said with feeling, "You've done so well as her XO, and you'll do just as well as the one in charge. Just remember that it's now Brinkman's job to be detested by the crew. You have to be the one who knows it all, whether you do or not".

"How many times did you not know what to do?" Tolen asked with a smile.

"If I told you, you'd die of shock", Cain replied, "and thanks for getting that raptor stowed on board SERENITY. I noticed she got off okay".

"After what you had told me about your plan, I couldn't refuse", Tolen replied, "Annan's report has to be confirmed one way or the other – without the Alliance knowing…. Look at us", Tolen noted, "Keeping things secret from the people we swore allegiance to".

"It's important enough to warrant it", Cain replied, "I've got the device with me and we'll soon find out, one way or the other".

"Assuming Commander Adama did what you think he'd do", Tolen pointed out.

"In his shoes, I'd have done the same", Cain replied, "Well, I guess we'd best not keep our surprise party guest waiting in the O-club".

Nodding, Tolen followed Cain out. The senior officers of the PEGASUS were ready to wet down their promotions…


	31. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – IN ORBIT OVER SIHNON**

"So, Admiral", Hendrix said to Cain, "I hope that you make good use of your two week furlough. Report to me back at the Admiralty and we'll put you to work".

"I'm looking forward to it, Admiral", Cain replied.

Both of them were quietly talking in the Officers Club while other formal Colonial crewmen – now in the employ of the Alliance Navy – were there quietly drinking and keeping a low profile.

In addition to several technicians from the IFST Dry-dock who were looking over the PEGASUS (inspecting and comparing the battlestar to the ones they were building), a number of reporters and journalists from various Alliance Telnet stations were also on board the PEGASUS, and in order to maintain the cover story of the battlestar being an Alliance prototype, the distinctly-accented Colonials were staying out of the way while Alliance Navy personnel assigned to the PEGASUS were playing host to the news media.

"The first batch of new Viper II's will be ready to be assigned to the new training unit by the time you get to Ariel", Hendrix continued, "and I understand that your instructor pilots will be ready to train our first intake by then as well".

"It was a good move placing the Viper Transition Training School at New Picon, Admiral", Cain replied, "our instructors liked the idea of going home after training rather than to barracks. If Secretary Cameron is any indication, there won't be any problems with your gunship pilots getting up to speed on the viper".

"At least the Mark 2", Hendrix pointed out. Cain got the hint.

"If the Blue-Sun produced Mark 2's are as good as the original item, then we'll certainly seal a contract with them to build the Mark 7", Cain replied, "but – and speaking to you as one pilot to another, The Mark 2 is the one for me: a pilot's ship that's rugged and dependable".

"Commandant Tolen isn't too disappointed with his orders?" Hendrix asked next.

"Hardly", Cain replied, "Your orders to have the PEGASUS used as a training vessel for the Alliance personnel slated to crew the other battlestars makes sense to him, and it's a great way for him to get used to commanding a battlestar. The only person who is having any problems is Major Syke".

"I thought that your CAG is hanging up his uniform", Hendrix said.

"He is", Cain confirmed, "And so is my daughter. The problem is that he realizes that Silver Spar wing will no longer exist as the squadrons in Silver Spar will be needed to help flesh out the new strike wings for the new battlestars when they come on line".

"I had thought about that, Garris", Hendrix replied, "and I don't like having to disperse the squadrons of a strike wing that has done wonders in protecting the PEGASUS, but the name 'Silver Spar' will not die. True, it will be made up of new squadrons, but Silver Spar Wing will still exist in name, and the new pilots will surely be a credit to the Wing, and to the PEGASUS".

"I'm sure that my future son-in-law will be glad to hear that", Cain said.

"Speaking of which, congratulations on your engagement, Commander", Hendrix said next, "Don't worry: Sophia Howell is an old family friend and I'm the only one she's told. You're a lucky man, Garris".

"I know", Cain replied, "I only wish my old friend Bill Adama could be here to be my Best Man at the wedding".

"Ah yes, the commander of the GALACTICA. Do you think there's any chance that he and the survivors that he was protecting are still out there somewhere?" Hendrix asked.

"Who knows?" Cain carefully replied, "But given that we managed to survive means that one can't give up hope: not just for the GALACTICA, but for the HYPERION's fleet and of course the GOLIATH".

"That F-T-L jump of yours – being how it was so long and completely un-programmed – makes their getting here a remote chance at best, Garris", Hendrix said carefully, "but there's always hope, just like there's a chance that those Cylons might come bursting in on us".

Cain didn't reply. He had suspicions as to what happened, but until he could confirm it with his plan, he just sipped his drink and nodded.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER – FOUR HOURS LATER**

"Well, Commandant", Brinkman said, "our Public Affairs Officer just reported that the last shuttle of reporters has departed, so I guess we can let the Colonials back out of hiding".

"Just so long as the reporters didn't pick up anything suspicious", Tolen replied.

"They were impressed with the battlestar and with the data we gave them showing how much more economical a battlestar is to run than a cruiser, it gave us great publicity", Brinkman replied.

"So how are you enjoying being the official XO of the PEGASUS?" Tolen asked next.

"I'd like it better if you'd lift the prohibition on my flying a viper", Brinkman said with a smile.

"If anything happened to me while you were joyriding on a viper, Max", Tolen replied, "The PEGASUS would be without an effective commander. From what little I've seen of you so far, I can say that the PEGASUS would be in good hands if you had to take over".

"Thank you, Commandant", Brinkman replied, "Anyway, I'd better give our sequestered colonials the all-clear so that we can get our VIP's back to Londinium, then Ariel".

"Make it so, XO", Tolen replied.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – IN ORBIT AROUND LONDINIUM – ONE DAY LATER.**

"Are you sure that you won't come back to Miranda with us, Admiral?" Tolen asked as he stood outside the shuttle carrying the Parliamentary MP's for their trip back to Parliament.

"I'm doing to be spending a lot of my furlough here, Commandant", Cain replied, "but get Admiral Hendrix's party back to the Admiralty before you head on back to New Picon".

"I received word that the cruiser DEVISOR is en-route to Miranda with the first intake of trainees for Battlestar orientation, so as soon as those of our original crew who are going the same way as Major Syke and Captain Cain disembark, we'll be starting our first training cruise", Tolen said.

"A training cruise on the edge of Reaver space", Cain said dryly, "Well, that will certainly get the rookies their target practice. Have a good trip, Commandant", Cain said as he offered his hand.

"And you too, Admiral", Tolen said.

As the hatch of the shuttle closed, Tolen walked off the hangar bay with a little smile. That last chat had been for the benefit of the MP's who were listening in. It wouldn't do for them to think that Cain had other things in mind for the new few days instead of furloughing…

By the time he got back to CIC, Brinkman reported that Core Command gave the shuttle permission to depart. Nodding, Tolen looked around CIC. The PEGASUS was his now, and the former commander had now left. It was quite a heady feeling…

"Contact Londinium control and give them our departure plot", Tolen ordered the officer on duty at Core Command, "We've got brass to deliver back to Ariel, then its back to Miranda to start training".

**VIP SHUTTLE – EN ROUTE TO LONDINIUM.**

Cain looked out the rear viewport as the shuttle accelerated away from the PEGASUS. It hit him that he was leaving a ship that he was no longer in command of. It did hurt, but he knew that the clean break was the right decision: the PEGASUS was Geoff Tolen's now and his departure gave the final seal on that decision.

"Sad leaving her, isn't it?" Sophia Howell asked softly.

"Yeah", Cain replied, "but this day had to come. I'm just glad that the PEGASUS is in good hands, and I'm not just talking about Geoff Tolen. The Alliance has given her a new lease on life and I'm grateful for that".

"We're grateful to you for giving us that, Garris", Howell replied, "So what are you going to do for the next two weeks? Our wedding isn't scheduled for two months".

"I'm going to be going out with some friends for a few days", Cain replied, "and then I'd like to spend the rest of the furlough with you".

"Just as well as you're taking some time away from me for a little while", Sophia said, "With the upcoming session of parliament, I'm going to constantly busy – and dead tired – until the session is adjourned. The never-ending job of being Speaker", she sighed.

"Kind of what I had to put up with when I had the PEGASUS", Cain replied, "Though during the last few months, I didn't have much time for a recess".

Sitting at the rear of the shuttle were two Colonials who were obstensively accompanying Glen Sanders back to the embassy as staff: Ginnie Annan and Archer Vandergrift. Captain Vandergrift was the PEGASUS Records Officer and Fleet Historian. Cain had asked for them both to join him. So far, he had not let on to them as to why, but both knew that Cain would not have asked either of them to join him for a vacation…

**PLANET LONDINIUM - COLONIAL EMBASSY – ONE HOUR LATER**

"Captain Reynolds", Cain said to Mal when he walked into Glen Sanders office, "I'd like to introduce you to Captain Archer Vandergrift, the records officer of the PEGASUS.

Mal shook hands with Vandergrift, then nodded to Ginnie Annan. Cain gestured to Mal to take a seat.

"I did another sweep of the office, Admiral", Glen reported, "We're secure".

"Admiral, eh?" Mal remarked, "Congratulations, but given how the Alliance Navy defeated the Independents in the last war, please forgive me for not hugging you.

Cain chuckled, replying "Thanks, Captain. Don't worry: I don't intend warring with you".

"Glad to hear it", Mal replied with a smile, "So are we going to let them in on the plan?"

"Absolutely. It's time to let you all in on the plan", Cain said to the people assembled here, "Lieutenant Annan, please start the briefing".

For the next fifteen minutes, Annan told them about what she had found in the archives regarding Earth-That-Was. As expected, the people there got incredulous when she mentioned the strong possibility of time travel – either forward by the PEGASUS when she made the F-T-L jump to Alliance space, or to the past by the GALACTICA sometime during its exodus from the Colonies. It meant that either way – if true – the humans of the Alliance were in effect direct descendant of the Colonies!

"That is rather – forgive me, Admiral – incredible", Vandergrift said.

"It's too much co-incidence with the landmark names on Earth-That-Was, and with what Lieutenant Annan noted on the pics of the obelisks in Egypt", Cain replied, "but regardless, we have to find out one way or the other – before PEST makes their expedition in one of the new battlestars – I've vetoed using the peregrine. That's why I've asked Mal Reynolds to make use of the new F-T-L we installed on SERENITY to take us to Earth instead".

"You see a possible political issue, Admiral?" Glen asked.

"The battlestar construction program is being based on a possible Cylon threat to the Alliance", Cain explained, "If Parliament gets the idea that the PEGASUS jumped forward in time by thousands of generations , then they could very well say that since the Cylons didn't come between then and now, they won't come at all, which means that the program will either slow down or be halted".

"Makes sense, Admiral", Mal said with a nod, "a non-existent enemy means no need for battlestars".

"But the possibility exists that the GALACTICA travelled back in time instead, which means that the Cylons are still a present danger, and that the HYPERION and GOLIATH are still out there somewhere as we speak trying to survive. In that case, the battlestars are going to be needed", Cain answered.

Mal looked at Annan, who nodded. Vandergrift was trying to fully register what was revealed.

"A raptor has been loaded on board SERENITY", Cain said, "When SERENITY gets to Earth, then the raptor will fly independently and will try and find a definite answer to the question of the GALACTICA making it to Earth".

"And what about SERENITY?" Glen asked. Mal answered the question:

"That's the payoff", he replied, "Earth-That-Was artifacts are worth a fortune to collectors here in the Alliance. Once Admiral Cain flies off on his mission, SERENITY will land and do a little bit of collecting junk".

"I'll be on board SERENITY to advise Captain Reynolds of good places to find artifacts while I do my initial surveys of the atmosphere and the ecological situation", Annan furnished.

"Captain Vandergrift, you'll come with me on the shuttle. I'll need your fleet historical knowledge, plus you're a qualified raptor pilot".

"Excuse me, Admiral", Vandergrift said, "but if your theory is correct about GALACTICA reaching – and populating – Earth, that would have been millennia ago. Any evidence would therefore be very hard to find, to say the least".

"I'm thinking that Bill Adama may have left evidence – in a place that would ensure it remaining undisturbed", Cain replied, "If I'm right, we'll find it".

"Is the entire SERENITY crew coming with us?" Annan asked.

"No", Mal replied, "Inara will be remaining here with her shuttle. I don't think that Earth-That-Was will be having any clients for her".

Glen smiled. That meant Inara would be in town…

"The F-T-L in SERENITY is new and untested", Mal said, "which raises a question: what happens if it breaks down on us?"

"Lieutenant Annan has an engineering credential, so she can assist your mechanic with any repairs if needed", Cain replied, "plus the raptor had limited F-T-L capability. If need be, we'll all take the raptor and make multiple jumps to return to Alliance Space. As Earth is only eleven light-years away, it won't be any stress on the drive".

"And think of what you will find on Earth", Annan said to Mal, "even a handful of items collected will bring you and your crew a lot of money. If worst comes to worst with SERENITY, you'll be able to buy a new ship with a small amount of Earth-That-Was junk".

Cain looked at Mal, saying, "It's your decision, Captain Reynolds. If you choose not to, I'll have the raptor go it alone. At least this way, we will have extra manpower, and this not only tests out the F-T-L, it will gain you a good financial payoff".

"Considering that last bit, and that you folks gave us the F-T-L", Mal said, "I'm in".

"Then we'll depart at your discretion, Captain Reynolds", Cain replied, smiling.


	32. Chapter 32

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

**PEREGRINE 'FLEET AVENGER' – EN ROUTE TO PLANET SALISBURY – KALIDASA SYSTEM**

The peregrine exited out of its F-T-L jump an hour out from Salisbury orbit. In its hold were several fuel pallets carrying the first refined tyllium from the New Picon refinery, destined to fill the fuel tanks of the first consignment of Blue-Sun constructed viper Mark II's.

"Remember the last time we were hauling Tyllium, Coffin?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah: Naylor Station. We ended up having toasters crashing the party, as well as the Stealth Star from HYPERION", Sims answered.

"And now we're hauling tyllium to Salisbury. Rather anti-climatic by comparison", Hunter said.

"I'd rather have things like this – instead of Cylon raiders shooting at us with a load of tyllium on board, Hondo", Sims responded, "Besides, while SERENITY is otherwise engaged, and the PEGASUS is still in the Core, we're the next largest F-T-L capable vehicle to do the job".

"True", Hunter sighed, "but at least I'll get to see just how good Blue Sun's vipers are. Even with the creepy rep that the Alliance folk back at Miranda say that Blue Sun has, they are supposed to be producers of quality military hardware".

"Still, Hondo", Sims said, "I wonder why the Commander had us pull this duty. I thought he wanted the peregrine prepped for surveying Earth".

"So did I, Coffin", Hunter replied, "but he usually has good reasons for his decisions, even though I'm not privy to all of them".

"Well, the sooner we get this fuel run finished and get back to Miranda, the better I'll like it", Sims said, "I don't think Dragon would be doing any fuel runs with DRAGON'S LAIR".

"Who knows where he – or the GOLIATH – is at the moment, Coffin", Hunter replied, "We haven't heard anything from them since that last supply run from the WARLOCK. That seems like a lifetime ago".

"I hope they find their way here, Hondo", Sims replied, "Witch would certainly like living on New Picon".

"If anyone can find their way here, it will be 'Dragon' Logan and 'Witch' Sever, Coffin", Hunter said, "Keep the faith".

Nodding, Sims sat back at his station while Hunter resumed piloting the FLEET AVENGER to its destination…

**COLONIAL EMBASSY ROOFTOP - PLANET LONDINIUM – WHITE SUN SYSTEM **

"They did do a good job on her", Cain said as he looked at SERENITY sitting on the rooftop landing pad.

"That they did, Admiral", Mal replied.

Cain – wearing civilian clothes and carrying a haversack – was following Mal Reynolds into the expanded cargo bay of SERENITY. Behind Cain in similar clothing were Vandergrift, Annan, Kaylee, Jayne, Simon and River Tam, and Zoe.

"Pity having to give up Sanders' hospitality", Jayne grumbled, "Those guest quarters at the embassy were real nice".

"If things work out from this trip, Jayne", Mal replied, "Then you'll be able to spend more relaxing times in real comfy settings".

"Can't argue with that", Jayne responded with a smile, "given how much money people are prepared to pay for Earth-junk".

After Zoe had entered the cargo bay, she activated the large access hatch control panel, sealing the hatch. While Kaylee was taking Ginnie Annan to the Engine Room, Cain and Vandergrift were entering the raptor which was parked inside the cargo bay.

"She's all fueled up and everything checks out okay", Vandergrift said, "So she'll be ready to launch when we arrive at our destination".

"Good", Cain replied, "then place this device on the LIDAR array's high-gain antenna", he said, passing to Vandergrift a curiously-shaped device.

"What is this, Admiral?" Vandergrift asked.

"Something to help the LIDAR when we start scanning", Cain replied. Trust me".

In the Engine Room, Ginnie was looking at the sub-light drive that powered SERENITY. She'd never seen a propulsion system like it before, so Kaylee was giving her a description of its operating principles. After a few minutes, Ginnie nodded her understanding.

"You must have had a comprehensive engineering education, Kaylee", Ginnie ventured. Kaylee smiled and shook her head.

"Naw", she replied, "I learned all this by my lonesome. Captain Reynolds trusts me to keep SERENITY going".

Ginnie was impressed. No formal education, but she was a natural-born engineer!

"So what do you think of the F-T-L drive being part of SERENITY?" Ginnie asked, pointing to the F-T-L and the navi-comp console newly installed.

"It's really shiny", Kaylee replied, "and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works. Thanks for giving us the fuel it needs too".

"It'll work", Ginnie replied, "I'm more concerned about the navi-comp programming. When we use it to direct the F-T-L, we'll see if those star charts of Earth's planetary system are still accurate".

"I thought that's why Captain Reynolds is gonna have us jump just outside the system so y'all can cross-check things before we make the final jump to Earth-that-was", Kaylee said.

"That, plus we can make an initial scan of the local space", Ginnie confirmed, "After all, no-one from the Alliance has been back there for half a millennium. We don't know exactly what's there now".

"Well, at least this will give SERENITY's new drive a decent test", Kaylee said.

Outside SERENITY – actually inside the doors leading into the building, both Glen Sanders and Inara were watching as the freighter started powering up its engines.

"What do you think they will find, Glen?" Inara asked.

"Answers to questions we need answering, I hope", Glen replied, "I wish I was going with them".

"I know, Glen", Inara replied, "But Admiral Cain needs you here. He trusts you to hold the fort".

**FREIGHTER SERENITY**

Up on SERENITY's flight deck, Mal and River were powering up the engines. Mal turned to River.

"You have our initial course locked in?" Mal asked. River nodded.

"Now remember, Girl", Mal said quietly, "We don't know what we'll find there. You pick up anything with your mind, you holler loud, okay?"

"Yes, Captain", River replied, "And I'll make sure Kaylee and Miss Ginnie keep the F-T-L ready to activate at a moment's notice".

Down in the infirmary, Simon was looking at some of the archival data disks of Earth-that-was on his view-screen. Being an amateur historian, he was intrigued at seeing Earth-that-was with his own eyes. It was a rather interesting feeling being part of this expedition, even though the primary reason was to collect artifacts that people back here would buy up…

Deftly, River lifted SERENITY off the landing pad. With Mal co-piloting, River took SERENITY up into orbit.

"Kaylee", Mal communicated through his mike, "How's the engine?"

"Purring like a kitten, Captain", Kaylee replied, "Miss Ginnie is powering up the F-T-L".

"Let me know when the navi-comp co-ordinates are punched in", Mal instructed, "and if we do hit trouble, we'll need to be able to jump out of there fast, so make sure that Ginnie keeps a good eye on things".

"Will do, Captain", Kaylee acknowledged.

River – after doing a quick check of her console – powered SERENITY out of Londinium's orbit. Mal liked the smoothness of the acceleration. Another benefit of SERENITY's care at the hands of the Colonials.

Ten minutes later, River said, "I'm not picking up any nearby traffic, so I guess we can jump now".

Nodding, Mal picked up his mike.

"Attention everyone", Mal replied, "We're going to do our first F-T-L jump to the edge of Earth-That-Was' star system. If we have to get out of there fast, we'll let you know. That is all".

"Captain", Kaylee's voice replied, "Miss Ginnie reports that the navi-comp co-ordinates are punched in and that the F-T-L is runnin' like it should. You can make the jump anytime you like".

Mal turned to River and said, "Let's do it".

River turned to the new addition to the control console – with its large activation lever – and depressed it. Down in the Engine Room, the F-T-L drive activated.

With a flash, SERENITY vanished from the space that it had just occupied…

**PLANET SALISBURY – KALIDASA SYSTEM.**

Hunter shut down the peregrine's engines after it had settled down at the private spaceport that abutted Blue Sun Corporation's Astronautics Division. As he did so, he noticed that a special transport was closing in on the peregrine.

"Open your cargo hold, please", the spaceport controller communicated, "the fuel bowser is approaching you. Confirm that you have it in sight".

"I do, Control", Hunter confirmed.

"You and your crew are cleared to disembark. Transport is waiting for you", the Controller said next.

"My RSO will need to remain with the peregrine", Hunter replied, "and I don't like the idea of leaving the ship either".

"Your presence is requested by the Director of Blue Sun Corporation", the controller said, "He has travelled here from corporate headquarters to meet you, and to personally get your impressions on the new fighter-gunships that are being constructed".

Hunter looked at Sims. The head man of Blue Sun himself? Suddenly, those stories of foreboding he had heard from the Alliance officers back at Miranda came to the fore…

"He wants to see me?" Hunter asked.

"That is correct", the controller replied, "He is waiting".

Hunter looked at Sims, who shrugged. True, Cain's orders did include inspecting – if possible – any of the new vipers coming off the assembly line, but meeting the head man of Blue Sun certainly wasn't expected. Still, there was the issue of courtesy and diplomacy…

"I'll keep in touch", Hunter said to Sims, "it's probably not a good idea to snub that kind of invitation".

"Any problems, I'll get in touch with you, Hondo", Sims replied.

**HEADQUARTERS ANNEX – BLUE SUN CORPORATION ASTRONAUTICS DIVISION. **

Hunter was escorted into a large comfortable office by a severely-suited aide and asked to take a seat. Sitting down in a plush chair, he looked at the spacious office with its opulent fittings and the framed pictures on the wall showing depictions of various aircraft and spacecraft.

He didn't get much of an opportunity for closer inspection because a side door opened, and in stepped an elderly – though not frail – gentleman wearing a well-tailored and clearly expensive suit. Hunter stood.

"Lieutenant Hunter of the Colonial Fleet, I presume?" the man said in a clear voice that breathed authority.

"I am", Hunter politely replied, conscious of his wearing his flight suit in the presence of this well-dressed individual.

"My name is Balthazar Iblis. I am the Director of Blue Sun Corporation", he said, offering his hand.

Shaking his hand, Hunter replied, "I am honored to make your acquaintance, Mr. Director".

Gesturing to Hunter to take his seat, Iblis sat down himself. He pressed a buzzer on his desk. Immediately another well-dressed aide entered, carrying two drinks on a tray. He offered one to Iblis, and the other to Hunter. After the aide left and closed the door behind him, Iblis spoke.

"Judging from your manner, Lieutenant", he said, "I can assume that you've heard rumors about Blue Sun from your colleagues in the Alliance Navy".

Hunter decided that lying or misleading this man would be easily detected by him, so he nodded.

"Sometimes, a scary reputation has certain advantages", Iblis continued, "but you needn't worry. Your viper is a marvelous machine and I'm certain that you'll find our ones as good – if not better – than the original".

"To be honest, Mr. Director", Hunter answered carefully, "I am curious as to how your machines compare against ours, but how did you know that I am qualified to fly vipers? I wear the peregrine patch on my uniform, not the viper patch".

"A good corporation must have good intelligence, Lieutenant", Iblis replied, "I know about you and your service record: a viper pilot who went to Colonial Advanced Tactical Training, graduated, and then was sent to Militech industries as a test pilot. People who go to A.T.T., then Militech are not people who are 'deficient' in knowledge about the viper – and other ships of course".

Hunter tried to keep his face from registering surprise. Iblis knew about his military past!

"The reason why I wanted to hear from you personally your appraisal of our vipers is that we are interested in eventually building the viper Mark 7, the raptor, and – of course – your peregrine", Iblis said, "I'm hoping that if the viper Mark II's pass the scrutiny of your expert eye, you will pass that information to your superiors. That way, when we put out the bid for constructing those other ships, we'll already have a good reputation".

"I see", Hunter said, "And what if your vipers don't come up to par?"

"I hope that won't be the case, Lieutenant", Iblis replied, "I'm not asking you to lie. I just want an honest appraisal of our vipers. Blue Sun prides itself on producing top quality materiel for the Alliance Navy, but your viper is in many respects completely different to what we have built before. If changes need to be made, it's better I know now, so that I can get the ball rolling on getting the changes made quickly and correctly".

"So your bottom line is securing the contracts, right?" Hunter asked bluntly.

"Of course", Iblis replied, "and securing the contracts depends on our making the goods that will do the job dependably. Wasn't that the motivation for Militech?" he asked.

"You've got me there, Mr. Director", Hunter replied, "and I really do want to take a look at your vipers. With the tyllium we sent you, I should be able to get the feel for your vipers and give you a straight answer".

"Excellent", Iblis said, "Then we both get what we want".

**PEREGRINE 'FLEET AVENGER'**

While Sims was busy watching the transporter crew shift the pallets off the peregrine's cargo hold – as well as making sure that no unauthorized person was going to be wandering inside, another transporter platform was moved into position beneath the peregrine.

However, this transporter platform was not what it seemed. Beneath the platform was an impressive array of sensors and scanners. While the peregrine was being off-loaded, the equipment array was performing a comprehensive analysis of the peregrine and its systems, effectively collecting the data needed to create a blueprint of the peregrine.

The peregrine's internal sensors did detect the radiations emitting from the array, and a sensor alert was flashing on one of the screens up on the flight deck, but as Sims was down in the cargo bay and not at the RSO console, he was not aware of what was going on…

Blue Sun Corporation – as well as being a major conglomerate in the Alliance – was also one of the best in the field of industrial espionage…

**FREIGHTER SERENITY**

With a flash, SERENITY exited its F-T-L jump. Mal and River immediately looked at their display screens.

"I'm not picking up any ships or any wireless traffic", Mal said, "How about you?"

"Nothing, Captain", River replied.

"We are where we're supposed to be, right?" Mal asked next.

"According to the navi-comp, we're here just outside the Solar System", River replied, pointing out of the cockpit viewport.

Mal looked out, and saw a bright yellow star: The Sun.

"I think you're right", Mal replied, "Let's get Cain and the others up here".


	33. Chapter 33

**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – SOL SYSTEM**

Up on the flight deck, Cain waited with Mal and River, while down in the Engine Room, Ginnie was comparing the data from SERENITY'S sensors with the information that had been programmed into the navi-comp back at the Alliance. SERENITY'S sensor array was nowhere near as advanced as the array on PEGASUS, but the visual sensors were adequate in detecting the planets orbiting the Sun, and that was what Annan was using to check the data against the Navi-comp data.

"This F-T-L really works!" Kaylee said to herself, not realizing that she had spoken aloud. Ginnie smiled at Kaylee's reaction. Just then, her headset activated.

"So how does it look?" Cain asked into his mike.

"Looks like the navi-comp data matches the visual references pretty well, Admiral", Ginnie Annan reported.

"So you see no problem in making the follow-up jump to just outside Earth orbit?" Cain asked.

"None whatsoever, Admiral", Annan reported, "Just so long as we are beyond Earth's geosynchronous orbit. It's a good bet that there are geostationary satellites still in that orbital plane and we don't want to collide with anything".

Cain clicked off the mike and looked at Mal. Mal nodded, and then spoke.

"Well, so far, so good", he stated, "and we are here to see what there is, so let's fire up the F-T-L for the second jump".

Cain nodded, and then clicked back on his mike.

"Set the new jump co-ordinates, Lieutenant", Cain ordered.

"New co-ordinates are punched into the navi-comp, and she's all set to activate at your command", Ginnie replied.

Cain gave a thumbs-up to Mal, who then said to River, "Let's do it".

With another flash, SERENITY disappeared from the position in space where she had appeared a little while previously…

**PLANET SALISBURY – KALIDASA SYSTEM**

Hunter looked at the line of twenty newly constructed Viper Mark 2's, with quiet satisfaction. Blue Sun had made almost exact clones of the viper that Cain had donated to the Alliance. The only external difference was that the Blue Sun Corporation logo had been placed on the upper fin; otherwise, they were gleaming new.

Hunter picked a viper at random and sat it its cockpit. The controls looked identical. Turning on the master switch, he saw the visual displays clicking on. Apart from some of the readouts showing Gemonese characters, this viper was indistinguishable from the ones back at the Colonies.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant", a voice called. Hunter looked out of the cockpit. He saw a technician looking up at him.

"What is it?" Hunter asked.

"The Director asked me to tell you that you can pick one of these vipers to test-fly. We'll fuel up the one you want, and then you can take it for a spin", the technician said.

"That sounds tempting", Hunter replied, "but don't you have a test pilot already?"

"We do, but the Director really would like your appraisal of the viper, based on your past experience", the technician responded.

Hunter thought about it for a minute. This viper seemed to be just like the ones he had flown back at the Colonies, but these were built by a completely new company, and they had not been flown before at all. Still, he did have the credential from A.T.T., which included test-piloting…

"Tank up this one", Hunter replied, "This is the one I'll try out".

"Yes, Lieutenant", the technician acknowledged, "We'll start fueling".

**FREIGHTER SERENITY - HIGH EARTH ORBIT – SOL SYSTEM **

SERENITY had exited its second jump in an orbit around Earth almost half-way between Earth and its Moon. River saw that Annan had been right in her deductions regarding satellites.

"There are a lot of artificial satellites still orbiting Earth", River said, "I'm not picking up any that are functional, though".

"I'd be surprised if there were any still working", Mal responded, "But seeing Earth. That's a sight I thought I'd never see with my own eyes".

"Nor mine, Captain", Cain replied.

All of them were looking out of the viewport at Planet Earth. They could see it as a large blue planet with clouds and brown patches that was land. The poles were pristine white.

"That is a beautiful sight", Zoe remarked.

"It sure is. That is where our forefathers came from", Mal added, then turned to River, asking, "Are you picking up anything from Earth?".

River checked her sensors, then she shook her head.

"River", Mal asked next, "concentrate and see if your thoughts can pick up anything".

Mal watched River gaze steadfastly at Earth. River's face was drained of all expression as she did so. After a couple of minutes, she blinked her eyes and looked at Mal.

"I can't sense anything", River said, "Earth is quiet".

Mal then turned to Cain.

"Admiral", Mal said, "Now that we're here, what do you want to do?"

"I intend to launch the raptor with myself and Captain Vandergrift", Cain said, "We have our exploring to do".

"Okay, you'd better go get into your raptor. Once you're all ready, we'll depressurize the cargo bay", Mal stated.

"I'll have Lieutenant Annan come up to the Flight Deck", Cain said, "She's got a couple of locations set up for you to do your salvage work. Regardless of where you go, we'll keep in touch via wireless".

Nodding, Mal turned back to River and Zoe. Cain left the flight deck.

Ten minutes later, Cain and Vandergrift were sealed inside the raptor. Cain had powered up the raptor's systems and Vandergrift completed the pre-flight check-list.

"We're all go, Admiral", Vandergrift reported at last.

Nodding, Cain activated his mike.

"Captain Reynolds", he said into the mike, "We're all go. You can depressurize the bay and open the rear hatch".

Mal gestured to Zoe, who activated a master switch sealing off the cargo bay from the rest of the ship.

"Okay, Admiral", Mal acknowledged, "Don't forget to keep in regular contact".

"Has Lieutenant Annan given you some choices?" Cain asked.

"AS a matter of fact, she has. Our first landing site will be in Southern France. She thinks we can find bottles of original champagne there. That alone will make this trip worthwhile".

Cain didn't know where France was on Earth, but as he had already tasted Alliance-made champagne, he could appreciate why Mal Reynolds would choose that location…

"The bay is depressurizing, Admiral", Vandergrift reported as he checked his sensors.

The cargo bay was quickly emptied of its atmosphere. After a minute, Vandergrift reported that depressurization was complete. Cain clicked on his mike.

"We show vacuum, Captain", Cain said, "You can open the hatch".

Looking out of the raptor's cockpit window, Both Cain and Vandergrift could see the hatchway coming open. After thirty seconds, Mal's voice came back to him on the mike.

"Hope you find what you're looking for", Mal said, "You're clear to launch".

Cain nodded to Vandergrift, who activated the raptor's thrusters. Slowly, the raptor lifted off the deck and exited the hatch into space.

"We're clear, SERENITY", Cain reported, "We'll call in at the set times".

"Okay, Admiral", Mal acknowledged, "We're heading in. If we find any champagne, we'll save a bottle to celebrate with if you find what you're looking for. SERENITY out".

**PLANET SALISBURY – KALIDASA SYSTEM.**

Hunter was impressed with the handling of the viper Mark 2 he was flying. Blue Sun really did a great job of construction! The Dradis and LIDAR were both working okay, and the engines were performing very well.

Hunter keyed his mike, reporting, "Salisbury Control, Test Flight Viper One is reporting everything is satisfactory".

Down at the Astronautics complex, Sims was sitting in the raptor listening to the wireless communication between Hunter and Flight Control.

"Trust Hondo to go joy-riding", He said to himself, "but at least he seems to like what Blue Sun has built…"

In his office, Balthazar Iblis was also listening into the communications from Hunter. He smiled. Hunter was really enjoying flying the raptor, and Iblis knew that his report on the Blue-Sun vipers would carry a lot of weight with Cain. He saw no trouble in successfully negotiating subsequent contracts to build the Viper Mark 7's, and the raptor. And as for the peregrine…

"The sensor array did a great job in getting all the information needed, Director", his aide had reported, "We can start building peregrines at any time".

"That will be very soon", the Director replied, "and when we do, we'll make them even better. Nothing like making our customers happy – and keeping the competition out at the same time…"

**CAIN'S RAPTOR – DEPARTING FROM SERENITY**

As the raptor accelerated away from SERENITY, Vandergrift turned to Cain.

"What is it that you are looking for, Admiral?" Vandergrift asked, "and do you think that we have a chance of finding it? Lieutenant Annan had told me that apart from a clue in an ancient obelisk, there was nothing she could find in Earth-that-was history that mentioned Colonials specifically: just similar-sounding names and similar legends".

"I'm going to answer that question by asking you questions, Captain", Cain replied, "First, if you wanted to leave a record where it would lay undisturbed until the people you know can find it, where would you put it?"

"It all depends on how long you wanted it kept hidden for", Vandergrift replied.

"Bill Adama was always an idealist at heart", Cain said, "and I have to think like that in order to deduce what he would have done once GALACTICA arrived".

"I understand that you and he were very close friends", Vandergrift commented.

"That helps too", Cain replied, "Anyway, given that there seems to be no definitive record from Earth's historical data as to Colonials landing, if they had landed here, it would have been before pre-recorded times".

"Surely they would have made records?" Vandergrift asked.

"Unless they decided to make a full fresh start and abandon all their technology", Cain replied, "That would not have been an unreasonable course of action, given Bill's distrust of high technology. After all, it was that which created the Cylons".

"That would make sense, but if Adama had decided on that course of action for his group of survivors, then why do you think that there would be any proof of the GALACTICA making it here".

"Bill Adama would have wanted some record to survive, but in a location where in would remain undisturbed until someone looking for it specifically could find it", Cain replied, "That meant ensuring that geological processes or future generations of humans would not destroy it – the latter without realizing what it was".

"What do you think 'it' is, Admiral?" Vandergrift asked.

"The GALACTICA's black box containing the ship's log , and – if I'm right – Adama's personal log as well".

Vandergrift nodded. The Black Box was a device designed to record all aspects of a battlestar's performance over a set period of time. It was also a repository of the Ship's log entries, and the additional entries of the battlestar's commanding officer…

"So if you were Commander Adana, Admiral", Vandergrift asked next, "What secure place on Earth would you put the black box?"

"Not on Earth", Adama replied, "but where it would remain undisturbed".

With that, he pointed at Earth's moon. Vandergrift nodded. If humanity was indeed rebuilding itself from scratch, there would not be any visitors to the moon until technology had come back to a space-faring level. No atmosphere meant no geological destruction of the log – unless of course a meteorite hit the location. Still…

"That makes sense, Admiral, but there is a lot of surface area to cover. Also, we would need to have a means to detect the black box. The automatic beacon – if not deactivated – would have run out of energy a long time ago", he pointed out.

"The black box is covered in a reactive coating that can be picked up – even buried – by that device attached to our LIDAR", Cain explained, "and Adama would have had the black box placed in a prominent feature of the moon's surface. What is the most prominent feature you can see?" he asked.

Vandergrift looked out at the moon, and his attention was fixed upon a crater with a brilliant set of ejecta rays. He indicated that to Cain.

"According to the old records, that crater is called Tycho", Cain said, "If my deduction is correct, that's where the Black Box will be".

"There would probably be lunar habitations, or at least research bases established", Vandergrift said, "What makes you think that the people there would not have found the black box if it was there?"

"The coating on the box only responds to a specific LIDAR-frequency", Cain replied, "Earth's records show they did not develop LIDAR, and as such, they would not have the means to be able to detect it. We do".

"Changing course for the moon, Admiral", Vandergrift said.

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – LOW EARTH ORBIT**

"Looks like Earth has recovered some", Ginnie commented, "amazing what nature can do when pollution stops for over half a millennia".

"We'll be coming in to land in that region of France you indicated", Mal said, "Keep looking at the sensors. There may not be any welcoming committee there, but I don't want to take any chances. We're ten light years away from home", he reminded her.

Ginnie nodded. The others had come on up to the flight deck and they were all looking down at the planet.

"Looks almost idyllic", Simon said.

"Yes, but the displays are picking up a lot of abandoned population centers, and some spots of radiation", Ginnie replied, "the latter from old nuclear power stations whose containment vessels probably failed. Those cities would be crumbling some as well".

"Anything like that in our landing areas?" Mal asked.

"Not on the first site", Ginnie replied, "so we can go in and land, then I'll take an air sample. If it checks out, then we can go without having to wear re-breathers".

"Then let's go", Mal said, "I have a taste for champagne all of a sudden".

**CAIN'S RAPTOR – LOW LUNAR ORBIT**

"We're coming up on Tycho, Admiral", Vandergrift reported.

They had entered lunar orbit thirty minutes previously, and while Vandergrift was checking local space to see if there no old lunar satellites that could be a threat to their orbital path, Cain was powering up the LIDAR and activating the enhanced scanner/receiver package that had been installed earlier.

"Then we'd better see if my hunches are correct", Cain replied, "Lock in with the wide-range scan on the entire crater. If the Black Box is there, we should get a signal bounce-back".

"And if it's not?" Vandergrift asked.

"Then we'll try other prominent surface features", Cain replied simply.

Vandergrift thought that the odds of Cain being right about such a thing were rather slim, but being the disciplined Colonial officer that he was, he didn't argue. He aimed the array at Tycho crater, made sure that the wide-range san settings covered the entire crater, then he activated the LIDAR, sending an energy pulse to the surface.

"Holy Frakk!" Vandergrift exclaimed! There was a reflection, and it matched the characteristics that Cain had described!

"Get the co-ordinates for that reflection, and let's head down here", Cain ordered, "I'll get the pressure suits ready while you narrow the field of the scan to get the precise location".

Vandergrift punched in new commands on his console, activating the drive systems to bring the raptor out of lunar orbit.

As the raptor descended, Cain slowly smiled. He said quietly, "Thank you, Bill".


	34. Chapter 34

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

**PEREGRINE 'FLEET AVENGER' – DEPARTING SALISBURY**

"So Blue Sun makes good vipers, eh Hondo?" Sims asked rhetorically, "Judging from that smile on your face, I doubt that their vipers were felgercarb".

"Okay, Coffin", Hunter admonished, "I admit it: it was a real treat to fly in a Mark 2, and these Mark 2's actually perform better than the originals, so now that I've said it, let's get back to returning this bird to Miranda".

Sims gave Hunter a thumbs-up and got back to monitoring his console. Hunter really did enjoy test-flying two of the Mark 2 vipers. They were responsive, and fast. He let Director Iblis know about his positive appraisal, and also spent an hour thoroughly briefing the chief test pilot at the facility. Hunter fully intended to write up a report on the performance of the new vipers for Cain to look over. He idly wondered how good their Mark 7's would be if their Mark 2's performed this well…

**DIRECTOR'S OFFICE – BLUE SUN CORPORATION ASTRONAUTICS DIVISION**

"So we impressed Hunter and he's flying back to sing praises about us", Iblis said.

"According to our test pilot, Hunter couldn't complement it highly enough. Always nice to have this kind of endorsement", Iblis' aide replied.

"And what about the data we 'acquired' regarding the peregrine?" Iblis asked next.

"Our people are going over the data and will be producing a detailed blueprint of that ship very quickly", the aide replied, "From what little they've seen so far, they are quite taken with the capabilities of the peregrine. This should give us a real good head start on our competition".

"Well, as soon as the schematics are completed, starting building them", Iblis ordered, "but keep it quiet. There may be other customers who would like to have a gunship/troop transport like this…"

**CRATER TYCHO - EARTH'S MOON – SOL SYSTEM**

The raptor gently touched down on the lunar surface. The spraying-out of lunar regolith abruptly halted as the thrusters were shut down by Vandergrift.

"The raptor has landed, Admiral", Vandergrift reported, "The return from the LIDAR is approximately one hundred meters from here at bearing three-one-zero".

"Then let's get into our pressure suits, Captain", Cain said, "and bring that carry-all with you", he added, pointing to a bag in the corner.

"You've got the portable detector, Admiral?" Vandergrift asked. Cain held up a small hand-held device in reply.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Cain and Vandergrift donned their pressure suits, then checked each other's suits, then finally ran a diagnostic check to verify suit integrity and optimal function of the suits' life support systems.

"We're all in the green, Admiral", Vandergrift communicated over the suit-to-suit wireless".

"Then start depressurization, Captain", Cain ordered.

Vandergrift went to a wall panel and punched a switch marked CABIN DEPRESS. A lighted display screen came on asking CONFIRM DEPRESS? Vandergrift hit another switch marked CONFIRM.

Cain and Vandergrift felt their suits stiffen a little as the cabin pressure was vented. In a little over a minute, the display screen read DEPRESSURIZATION COMPLETE.

Vandergrift opened the hatch, exposing a view of the desolate lunar surface in the full glare of day.

Cain and Vandergrift lowered their polarized visors over their helmet faceplates, then Cain stepped out of the raptor onto the lunar surface.

"It's a long way from home – both old and new – but here we are", he said.

Vandergrift – carrying the carry-all – exited after him. As he did so, Cain turned on the portable detector that sent out a LIDAR pulse every second. The reflective PING from the contact came back on the detector's display screen.

"This way", Cain said as he started loping over the surface in the weak lunar gravity. Vandergrift followed him.

After a couple of minutes, Cain stopped. He waved the scanner in a number of directions, then moved in an oblique direction about six meters. The display showed "SOURCE TWO METERS DIRECTLY BELOW".

"This is where we dig, Captain", Cain said, "so let's get the extractors out of the coverall".

"You know, Admiral", Vandergrift said, "As this type of environment would not show any deterioration or erosion, I'm wondering that if anyone were here before, why there are no footprints apart from ours".

"A raptor hovering a couple of meters above the surface would obliterate such prints, Captain", Cain replied, "and Commander Adama would want no trace of anything being buried for early lunar explorers to find. At least that's what I think he'd do".

"Well, we'll soon find out", Vandergrift said as he got the digging tools out.

"That we will", Cain confirmed.

**SOUTHERN FRANCE - PLANET EARTH – SOL SYSTEM.**

SERENITY touched down without incident. As Mal and River were shutting off the thrusters, Ginnie Annan and Simon Tam were checking the radiological and biological readouts. After a couple of minutes, Simon turned to Mal.

"Air is breathable and I'm detecting nothing threatening biologically", he reported.

"Well, then let's see what we can find then", as he left the flight deck.

"River, watch over the ship's systems. If we have to leave in a hurry, I'll give you a call", Mal said as he exited. Ginnie and Simon followed behind him.

Down in the cargo hold, Jayne and Kaylee were readying the hover-transporter while Zoe was at the control panel of the cargo hatch. At Mal's nod, she activated the control, opening the hatch.

It was about mid-morning local time, so the sun was shining… shining upon a view of abandoned and crumbling buildings in what used to be a small town. There was foliage growing around the town, which – more than the dilapidated state of the buildings – showed how long this place had been abandoned.

As Mal operated the controls on the hover-pod, guiding it out of the hatch, Zoe, Ginnie, Jayne and Simon jumped on board. Smoothly, Mal headed the pod into the town.

"The air isn't too bad", Jayne commented, "From what I'd heard about the pollution of Earth-that-was, I'd have expected it to be real dusty".

"Half-a-millennium of no industrial waste and humanity gave Mother Nature time to recover some", Kaylee replied, "but since most of the natural resources were stripped by the time the folks here left, I don't think there will be any resettlement any time soon".

"There would have to be a reintroduction of other life here too", Ginnie commented, "no birds or animals present. I guess those that were left died from the pollution".

"Well, let's concentrate on finding what we're looking for first, okay?" Mal asked rhetorically, "Let's check our sensors for any traces of alcohol. Remember that according to the old records, champagne would be stored in basements where there would be no spoiling from heat or sun".

"Just so long as any of them houses that have such basements don't fall down on top of us when we go in", Jayne commented, "Getting dug up is something I'd rather not experience".

**TYCHO CRATER – EARTH'S MOON**

"Digging is easier than I thought", Vandergrift commented, "You'd naturally expect that beneath the top-soil, the regolith would be hard-packed. It's not the case here".

"That's probably because the regolith had been dug up earlier", Cain replied, "which is making my little hypothesis more and more real".

Both of them had used their digging tools and soil extractors to dig a hole in the surface. The weak gravity was preventing them tiring and they were digging down at a steady pace. Just then, Cain's tool hit something hard. He bent down, then used his gloved hands to clear away the remaining regolith.

"Bingo", Cain breathed. He was looking a container about two cubic feet in area, colored black.

"That is definitely a Black Box", Vandergrift said, "There should be a marking on some kind on one of its sides.

"Let's get it up out of the hole first", Cain said as he lifted it up.

In the weak gravity, it didn't seem heavy at all. Vandergrift jumped up out of the hole, then took the black box from Cain's hands. As Cain jumped up out of the hole, Vandergrift looked at the sides of the box. He pointed to a marking.

"Looks like you were right, Admiral", Vandergrift said as he pointed to a serial number that had been stamped on the underside.

The numeric prefix read 'BSG-75' : GALACTICA'S fleet designator. This was without a doubt GALACTICA's data storage module – the battlestar's black box.

"Let's get it into the raptor", Cain said. Vandergrift picked it up.

As they both loped back to the raptor, Vandergrift said, "If Commander Adama activated the radioactive marker inside at the time of burial, we should be able to determine how long ago it was buried. I just hope that the other recorded data is intact too".

"Me too", Cain replied, "The sooner we get it into the raptor, the sooner we'll find out".

**SOUTHERN FRANCE - PLANET EARTH – SOL SYSTEM.**

At first, the detectors didn't pick up anything that indicated alcohol, which was disappointing.

"Not too happy thus far", Mal commented.

"There's bound to be artifacts here we can take back, Sir", Zoe replied, pointing to a couple of shops, "so if there's no champagne, anything from here should get at least a few credits from collectors".

"I know, Zoe", Mal said, "but finding original champagne would bring in a lot of credits. Let's look further on before we start picking up other junk".

"Mal", Jayne said, "Looks like my scanner is picking up some alcoholic traces. Seems to be coming from that building there".

He pointed to a shop which had a still-readable sign: VIN ET MAGASIN D'ALCOOL.

Worth taking a look-see, Mal said as he set the hover-pod down in the grass-overgrown street.

"I'm going to stay out here with the pod", Ginnie said, "I want to get some more atmospheric and soil samples".

"Do so. We'll call if we need any help", Mal replied.

As they entered the shop, they could see that it had held bottles, but the ones on display were either smashed or overturned. It was very dusty inside, which made them put on cloth facemasks to stop them from breathing the disturbed dust.

"My scanner is showing a stronger trace below us, Mal", Jayne said, "Looks like this shop has a basement".

"Then let's find the way down to it", Mal replied, "Start looking, everyone".

About a minute later, Simon called them over. He pointed to a door marked _'ENTREPOSAGE EN SOUS-SOL'._

"This door was behind a hinged shelf", Simon said, "I kind of found it by accident when I put my hand on it".

"Lucky find. Can you decipher what that lettering means?" Zoe asked.

"I'm pretty certain that part of that sign means 'basement'", Simon said, "Ancient languages were not quite my strong-point back in high school, so don't take my guess at face value".

"I'll take your word for it", Mal replied. He tried to open the door, but it was stuck. He pushed harder, with the result that the door broke off its hinges and fell inward.

"Well, that's one way to open a door", Zoe quipped as she grabbed flashlights out of her carry-all.

With Simon staying at the top of the stairs, Mal, Zoe, and Jayne walked over the fallen door and down into the basement.

"Pay Dirt", Jayne breathed. He was looking at a series of racks: each of them full of bottles.

Mal walked over to the nearest rack and pulled out a bottle. The bottle held a clear liquid that his scanner confirmed held alcohol. His flashlight showed a label: _BRUT CHARDONNAY. LE CHAMPAGNE SEC, LE PRODUIT DE LA FRANCE._

"That, Jayne, is masterful understatement", Mal replied, "Just the bottles in this basement alone will make us all very rich".

"Assuming that they are still drinkable. Looks like we have a job to do then, Sir", Zoe said as she picked up a couple of bottles, "Good thing we brought those packing cases with us".

"And let's hope we have enough room in cold storage to hold 'em as well". Mal added, "Because the more we can take back with us, the better".

**TYCHO CRATER – EARTH'S MOON.**

After the raptor had been repressurized, Cain and Vandergrift got out of their pressure suits. After quickly making sure that the raptor's environment was secure, Cain put the black box on the RSO console.

"Pass me that cord", Cain said, pointing to a lead.

Vandergrift did so. Cain located a small panel at the side of the black box and – by using a small screwdriver – opened it to reveal a plug socket. Plugging in one end of the cord to the black box, Cain plugged the other end into the console.

"Let's start uploading the data and see if it's intact", Cain said as he punched in on the console keyboard the command to start the data transfer into the raptor's computer.

"DATA INTEGRITY SATISFACTORY", the console display showed as the Black Box started to upload its data.

While the data upload was under way, Cain found another panel on the Black Box and used the screwdriver to open it. He took out a small cylinder that he handed to Vandergrift. Vandergrift took a portable scanner, placed the cylinder into a receiving slot, and activated it.

"The radioactive source is there, and it has been activated", Vandergrift said, "I should be able to get the current alpha-emission level and with that, I can compute the time that the box was buried….."

Vandergrift paused. He picked up another scanner, placed the cylinder into that one, and then ran the same test.

"Well frakk me", he muttered. Cain looked up from the RSO console at Vandergrift's expletive.

"What do you have?" Cain asked, surprised that the normally well-mannered Archer Vandergrift would say such vulgarities.

"The same data shows on two different scanners", Vandergrift replied, "but I can't believe that this is correct".

"What does it show, Captain?" Cain asked again, his voice showing some impatience.

Vandergrift hesitated, then blurted out: "If this figure is correct, this Black Box was buried over one hundred and fifty thousand years ago!"


	35. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE**

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – SOUTHERN FRANCE – PLANET EARTH**

Mal had piloted the hover-pod with the other crew – plus the discovered champagne – back to SERENITY. After the pod had been secured in the cargo bay, Mal and the others – except for Ginnie Annan who went up to the Flight Deck to check on any messages that may have come in from Cain - wasted no time off-loading their salvaged booty. Quickly – yet carefully – the champagne was off-loaded.

"I make it just over five hundred bottles, Sir", Zoe said after the last case was placed in cold storage – adjusted so that the temperature remained just above Freezing.

"The Doctor is checking a couple of bottles to see if the contents are still good", Mal said, "but even if they are not, the collector's value of the bottles alone makes this trip more than worth it".

"Gonna go to other places to see what we can find, Mal?" Jayne asked.

Just then, Ginnie walked in, along with River. She said, "I've got a communication from Admiral Cain", she said, "He's requesting a rendezvous".

Rive added, "He was excited, I think". Simon looked at his sister curiously.

"That would be the first time I'd of expected Garris Cain to show that kind of emotion", Mal opined.

"You're not the only one", Ginnie replied, "So what do I tell him?"

Mal was about to answer when Simon walked in. He turned to the Doctor.

"So Doctor", Mal said, "What's the verdict?"

"The bottles I placed on the scanner shows their contents to be A-okay", Simon replied, "I placed them in cold storage with the others".

"Five hundred bottles of original Earth-That-Was champagne in original Earth-That-Was bottles that are still palatable", Zoe said, "We're talking about big money here".

"Which is what I like to hear", Jayne replied.

Mal turned to Ginnie, saying, "We'll rendezvous with Cain in orbit in an hour. Better let him know".

As Ginnie and River went back up to the flight deck, Jayne said, "We can get more Earth junk and really make a killing, Mal. We don't have to leave now!"

"Jayne", Mal replied, "We have the F-T-L and we can return anytime. Besides, if we start to flood the market with too much Earth artifacts, then the value will go down. We do this real careful-like, okay?"

"I don't know, Mal…" Jayne started to say, but Mal cut him off.

"It's been decided, Jayne", Mal said, "Besides, from what I had heard, these bottles alone should fetch close to two million credits. Let's quit now while we're ahead".

"Two million", Jayne breathed, "Now that makes my day".

"Let's get SERENITY secured and let's lift off", Mal ordered, "We'll see what Cain's all excited about and then we'll decide to head back with what we have, or if we'll do a little bit more salvage".

**CAIN'S RAPTOR – EN ROUTE TO SERENITY**

As Vandergrift piloted the raptor off the lunar surface and headed for its rendezvous with SERENITY, Cain sat back in the RSO station and pondered the revelation about the Black Box.

"One Hundred and Fifty Millennia", Cain said softly to himself, "Talk about a time jump! Was it them, or was it us?"

Cain realized – the more he thought about it – that 150,000 years did make sense in that there were landmark names familiar to Colonials, yet no record of the Colonies themselves. He knew that the radioactive 'calendar' placed in the Black Box was accurate –there was no way that the half-life radioactive decay of the element could be faked or accelerated. And as for the Black Box data, the RSO console had scanned the uploaded data and reported no corruption in its contents.

Cain had breathed a sigh of relief at that. Adama knew what he was doing by placing the black box not only on the moon, but burying it to provide additional protection against the unfiltered solar and cosmic radiation. Even though the data was solid-state recorded, radiation and temperature extremes could deteriorate the data so the burial provided total insulation.

Cain wanted to wait until the return to Londinium where we could examine the logs in detail, but he did check on the index. As he suspected, there were the official logs and flight data, and also Bill Adama's personal logs attached to it. He suspected that the Black Box would answer a lot of questions.

"I've got a message from SERENITY", Vandergrift called back to him, "She's in orbit and she's sent me her co-ordinates".

"Send them to me, Captain", Cain ordered, "and I'll punch it into the F-T-L".

Ten minutes later, the F-T-L was activated and the raptor flashed out of sight.

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – LOW EARTH ORBIT – SOL SYSTEM**

The rendezvous went without incident. The raptor flashed back into normal space ten kilometers from SERENITY and Vandergrift skillfully piloted the raptor back into the cargo hold. After the cargo hold hatch was sealed and the hold repressurized, Cain and Vandergrift exited the raptor.

"Did you get what you were looking for?" Mal asked.

"Yes we did", Cain replied, "How did your little expedition go?"

"We got what we were looking for as well", Mal responded, "so I guess that this little trip was more than worth it".

"That's for sure", Cain replied, "So are you going to head back or do some more 'archeological work'?"

Mal smiled at Cain's term for their salvage operation. He said, "We don't want to bring back too much, too quickly. With the co-ordinates for Earth firmly in our navi-comp, we can come back here when we want".

"And I'll make sure you have information regarding PEST's surveys so that you don't get discovered on your follow-up expeditions", Cain replied, "We certainly owe you that".

"So what you got was that important, eh?" Mal asked.

"In more ways than one", Cain replied.

"Then let's get going", Mal said.

With that, the SERENITY crew started going to their stations, but as River passed Cain, she whispered:

"So, your families have been dead for 150,0000 years?" she asked _sotto-voce_.

Cain was startled. He had almost forgotten about River's cognitive ability – courtesy of the butcher doctors that cut into her brain.

"Could you keep that quiet for the time being, Young Lady?" Cain asked in a similarly low voice, "I haven't had a chance to look at all the data yet".

River nodded, saying, "I understand. Confusing for all concerned".

**VICINITY OF PLANET LONDINIUM – WHITE SUN SYSTEM.**

With a flash, SERENITY re-entered normal space from its jump out of Earth orbit. Mal shook his head to clear the disorientation from the jump.

"Not bad: ten light years in as many seconds", he commented, "but the next time we jump, we don't eat beforehand".

"It's a small price to pay for the advantages of the F-T-L drive", Cain pointed out with a chuckle.

"So do you want us to land at your Embassy, or do you want to take your raptor down instead?" Mal asked.

"I think we'll do the latter", Cain replied, "After all, I think that you'd want to find some buyers for your champagne".

"That we do", Mal confirmed, "I'll walk you down".

By the time that Cain and Mal had gotten down to the bay, Ginnie and Vandergrift were already there.

"Wait some before you get on board", Mal said. He turned and walked off the bay deck.

"So how as Earth?" Cain asked Ginnie.

"Breathable atmosphere and the pollution has gone", Ginnie replied, "but apart from recovering flora, no life. Just crumbling buildings on a planet that that been over-populated and stripped of most resources".

"But do you see any hope for a full ecological recovery?" Vandergrift asked.

"It's hopeful, though the planet needs another few hundred years of being left alone. Still, reintroduction of animal and insect life from here to there beforehand would be a good idea", Ginnie answered.

"The fact remains that you are the first from the PEGASUS to set foot upon Earth, Lieutenant", Cain replied, "So you should be proud of yourself".

Just then, Mal came back into the hold. He was carrying two bottles of the Earth-That-Was champagne.

Handing them to Cain, he said, "This is to mark the success of your mission, and for giving us the means to go back there again. Thank you, Admiral", Mal said.

Cain took the bottles, replying, "Considering how much these are worth, are you sure you want to part with them?"

"Plenty more where that came from", Mal replied, "Anyway, you'd better get going. Look forward to seeing you again soon".

With that, Mal offered his hand. After passing the bottles to Ginnie, Cain shook the offered hand.

"Take care, Captain Reynolds", Cain said. With that, he turned to the raptor. Ginnie and Vandergrift got the message: they entered the raptor.

Ten minutes later, with the cargo bay depressurized, the raptor exited SERENITY, and with Vandergrift piloting, headed towards Britannia City, and the Embassy.

While Vandergrift was looking out at the expanding view of Londinium, and while Cain was looking at SERENITY moving away from them, Ginnie was looking at the Black Box secured to the RSO console. She was very curious to what the data from the Black Box had to say about the fate of the GALACTICA, especially after Cain had told her how long the Black Box had been buried for…

**COLONIAL EMBASSY – PLANET LONDINIUM –WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

"That's incredible!" Sanders breathed, "One Hundred and Fifty Thousand years?"

"It's quite a time jump, regardless of whether we – or they – made it", Cain replied, "In any case, I'll need you, Captain Vandergrift, and Lieutenant Annan to start going over the ship's log while I start to look over Adama's personal log. We have a lot of reading to do, and when we're done, we'll have to figure out what to do next".

"Well, I've personally transferred the data disks from the raptor to the Embassy's stand-alone computer, Admiral", Annan said, "So anytime you're ready, we can start".

Sanders pressed a buzzer on his desk. As Vansen walked in to respond to the page, Sanders said, "No visitors until further notice, Jet. The Admiral and his team are going to be busy here for a while and we are not to be interrupted".

**ALLIANCE GENETICS LABORATORY – PLANET NEW MELBOURNE – RED SUN SYSTEM.**

After Doctor Ashley had departed on transport back to Miranda, Doctor Conrad Audenauer finished up his report on the Cylon artifacts and the biologically engineered spaceships that Ashley had brought with him from the PEGASUS. He knew that his superiors back at the Core would be raising their eyebrows at the contents of the report; he found himself doing the same thing despite being the person who wrote it!

For the umpteenth time, he wondered how a race of intelligent automatons who made it their business to destroy humanity could biologically engineer such ships. A situation where non-biological beings could make such life-forms was something that – unless he had actually seen the creations with his own eyes – he would never have believed.

He next re-read the report of the examination of the humanoid Cylon corpse, and the transcript of its last 'conversation' before it had been killed. A consciousness transferring itself out of its expiring body to go into a newly created body was something that he wasn't going to pretend that he had any inkling of how it was done. True, Doctor Ashley had provided the critical DNA markers so that a similarly created person could be detected, and he had built a test model detector, but there must have been something wrong because on various test subjects amongst his staff that he had tested – and on himself – there were indications that small traces of those markers existed there as well! This was additionally perplexing as the detector did not detect any of the markers on Dr. Ashley.

Sighing, he sealed the report and had it prepared to go by courier to Ariel the following morning. He would have preferred to radio it, but this information had to be kept compartmented. He didn't realize that the 'confidential' report was already in the hands of another person…

Doctor Edwin Ravashol was part of the Genetic Laboratories staff. He was also on the payroll of Blue Sun Corporation. He had been able to hack into Adenauer's computer and place programs that enabled him to get copies of all the data that Adenauer had entered in. He had read with interest the information pertaining to the Cylon biological machines, but the information that Blue Sun wanted in particular dealt with the Cylon Centurions, and with the copy of Adenauer's report in his hand, Ravashol was about to have a 'courier' of his own relay this information to Director Iblis…

**COLONIAL EMBASSY – PLANET LONDINIUM – SEVERAL HOURS LATER.**

Cain sat back and drew a deep sigh. He had read the entries from Adama's personal logs from the time he had directed the GALACTICA to Ragnar Anchorage, and the departure of the GALACTICA – plus the fifty-odd civilian ships from there - on their long odyssey to Earth, where – to keep morale up – Adama had lied about knowing where Earth was.

He noted that Laura Roslin – as the last surviving member of the Colonial Cabinet – had assumed the presidency upon Adar's death, and had established a government and society within the ragtag fleet while military decisions remained with Adama. Adama had written a lot about her and the various run-in's that he had had with her during the exodus.

He then read about their rescue of several more survivors from Caprica – including Lieutenant Agathon who had enabled Jason Gorde to be rescued by the PEGASUS. Also, he read about the finding of Kobol, and the revelations of the possible location of Earth. Then there was the information pertaining to the encounter of the Mercury-Class Battlestar PEGASUS and Helena Cain. Garris Cain didn't register any visible emotion upon reading of Helena's death at the hands of a Cylon humanoid, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief at his not having to be the one to deal with her.

Next was reading about the discovery of a planet they called New Caprica, and the election to the presidency of Gaius Baltar that had caused the ragtag fleet to settle there. The discovery of them by the Cylons after the destruction of the luxury liner CLOUD 9 and the resulting occupation of New Caprica had exposed Baltar as a collaborator to the Cylons. Only the intervention of Bill Adama and his son with the GALACTICA and PEGASUS had enabled the survivors to escape the Cylons.

Reading further, he noted the slow attrition of pilots and civilians, plus the intrigues of Tom Zarek, who had authorized a secret witch-hunt of humans who had helped the Cylons, with the help of Colonel Saul Tigh and other GALACTICA personnel. Bill Adama and Roslin managed to stop that drumhead court from continuing.

The food shortage and the algae planet encounter that not only managed to secure food supplies for the fleet, but also to apprehend Baltar who had been taken by the Cylons from New Caprica had resulted in a trial that had split the fleet badly over the issue of Baltar's guilt.

The destruction of the MERCURY-class PEGASUS saddened him, but he noted that it's loss was not in vain as its sacrifice enabled the GALACTICA and the ragtag fleet to once again escape the Cylons.

The loss – and inexplicable re-finding of Kara Thrace: the notorious 'Starbuck' – made him wonder about divine intervention, as well as the split in Cylon ranks that had started the Cylons fighting against each other. All of this climaxing in the encounter of a former Human-occupied planet (like Earth was now), then the battle at a Cylon Colony that had badly damaged GALACTICA – and then the final lengthy jump that took them to Earth, carrying with them the few survivors and the offspring of a Human and Cylon named Hera.

Cain paused at that point. Was that final jump the one that had flung GALACTICA back in time? If so, how did it also affect every one of the other civilian ships when they also jumped? Putting aside the question, he read the final parts of the log.

That final jump had broken GALACTICA's back which meant no more F-T-L for the battered battlestar. It was there that the decision was made for the survivors to start life anew on Earth, but with no Colonial technology. The GALACTICA and the other civilian vessels were scuttled by flying them into the sun, and the survivors who had landed on Earth split up to restart building the human race.

Cain finally came up to the last page in the log. He slowly read it:

_COMMANDER'S LOG, FINAL ENTRY._

_It is done. The GALACTICA – that faithful lady that kept us alive and going for so long – is now on her final voyage to destruction. It was a sad moment being the last crewman to leave her, but with her no longer able to function, her fate is sealed. As my son Lee is piloting the raptor I'm in to Earth's moon to bury this log for discovery by some future generation, I find myself wondering about the six-year exodus from Caprica to Earth._

_Many good people died on the way – and of course many more good people died back at the Colonies. We who are left are starting anew, in the hope that Humanity will rise to greatness again, without the mistakes that we made that had sealed the fate of the Colonies._

_My hope is that Humanity will indeed prevail and that we will once again go to the stars – perhaps one of those ships will bear the proud name GALACTICA. Regardless, it is the end of our journey. Not the final end though, or even the beginning of the end, but – and I devoutly hope this to be so – the end of the beginning._

_There have been a lot of regrets in my life – and during the exodus – regarding some decisions that were made that ended up costing lives, but as to our goal, I have no doubts that coming here was the right decision. Once this log - buried here for safety - is finally found sometime in the far future, I hope the person or persons who read this will also share that conclusion._

_When I return to Earth with Lee, I will be with Laura Roslin for the short time she has left before her cancer finally overtakes her. I owe her that at least for her trusting in me and the crew of the GALACTICA for protecting her people. It is not exactly the way I had originally hoped to mark my retirement – I think of that plan that Garris Cain and I had to open that bottle of vintage Ambrosia at the GOLDEN ARROW bar and drink the bottle dry to mark our retirement days – but being at the new dawn of civilization on the beautiful world we call Earth seems somehow fitting as a substitute._

_The re-dawn of humanity has started. May this day never end the way the last day did. So Say We All. _

_William Adama, Admiral, Colonial Fleet. The last commander of the Battlestar GALACTICA._

"So say we All, Bill", Cain quietly whispered.


	36. Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

**COLONIAL EMBASSY – PLANET LONDINIUM –WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

"Talk about an odyssey!" Ginnie Annan commented, "How the GALACTICA got to Earth is nothing short of a miracle!"

"It's actually 'new' Earth, Lieutenant", Cain replied, "The Earth that was settled by the 'thirteenth tribe' – who'd have thought that they were Cylons! – was rendered unlivable. That last jump from that Cylon colony brought them to the world that the Alliance folk call Earth".

"If that piece of information ever got out to the people here, who knows how they would react", Glen Sanders said, "I've been studying their religious values. With the similarity to the 'Soldiers of the One' cult back on Caprica, they would probably not take their dogma turned upside down quietly".

"Then the information must be restricted", Cain replied, "but do we need to let the Quorum know, and some of our people back at New Picon".

"You know, Admiral", Archer Vandergrift said slowly, "Their logs show their voyage lasting six years. We took just over a year to get here. With the data from the black box, we could retrace their trip to where they are now – at this 'New Caprica' planet. We get there, and get them back here before the Cylon occupation".

"And if we do that, Archer", Ginnie pointed out, "Then the time line is broken and the Alliance will cease to be as they are directly descended from humanity on Earth-that-was".

"So we can't do that", Cain decided, "Though of course that would assume that it was the GALACTICA and the ragtag fleet that went back in time. If it were us that went forward in time instead, we wouldn't find anything".

"But we could find the Colonies", Vandergrift responded, "One hundred and fifty thousand years would be plenty of time for the twelve worlds to recover from the war and be habitable again".

"The star maps on the black box are one hundred and fifty thousand years out of date, so it would not be that straightforward, Archer", Glen replied, "but it would give us a means to be able to move in the right direction. We would eventually find the Colonies again".

"They could be populated by Cylons who would not take too kindly to a return by Humans", Ginnie said, "so maybe we shouldn't even think about it until we return with a lot more battlestars than just the PEGASUS".

Cain nodded at that. Such a move now would also involve risk for the Alliance because if there were Cylon descendents living there, a revisit would alert them to the fact that humans were still alive in the galaxy, and that could very likely make them renew the hunt – with weapons and spaceships 150,000 years more advanced than before. Of course, the base star that left Earth-that-was with Cylon Centurions on board to establish their own new world could not be discounted either…

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION HEADQUARTERS – DIRECTOR IBLIS' OFFICE**

"This information we got from Doctor Ravashol is excellent", Balthazar Iblis said, "Not only are we going to make money building the colonial's ships, we can create automatons that can make our lives easier by them doing the dirty work for nothing!"

"These Cylons did revolt against the people who built them, Director", Iblis' aide pointed out.

"Then we build them so that they don't", Iblis replied simply, "Have our cybernetics division go over the data and start making preliminary plans. We'll take our time over this so that we make no mistakes, but eventually they will be built".

The aide could tell from Iblis' tone that the decision had been made. He asked next: "What about the data from the genetically engineered spaceships, Director?"

Iblis shook his head. He replied, "At the present time, the ability to make copies of them is beyond us. Have the data relayed to our own Genetics division in any case to see if there is at least something we can get out of them in the short term".

The aide nodded. Iblis jerked his head to the door in a gesture of dismissal.

As the aide left the office – leaving Iblis alone – Iblis smiled. He could picture more profits being made: first from the colonial ships, and later on, their own Cylons. Who wouldn't want an army of robotic workers that would do all the heavy and dirty tasks and not needed to be either fed or paid…?

**PLANET BEAUMONDE – RED SUN SYSTEM.**

Mal smiled broadly as the auctioneer banged down his gavel.

"Sold to the gentleman – Number Sixty-One – for One Hundred and Eighty Thousand Credits!"

Zoe turned to Mal and said in a low voice, "180,000 Credits for a case of ten bottles of champagne. That is one nice piece of salvage, Sir".

"Yep", Mal replied, "The Doc's suggestion that we go to Beaumonde to sell that stuff is paying off nicely, even after the Auction folk and the Alliance's External and Internal Revenue robbers take their cut".

Beaumonde – being a wealthy planet originally populated by French descendents – was largely Asian, but the elite kept to the French ways of Earth-That-Was. Simon had theorized – correctly – that these people would jump at owning anything actually coming from France of Earth-That-Was.

"Still leaves us with plenty, and we know where to go for more", Zoe pointed out.

"Yep, but let's keep that under our hat some for the time being", Mal suggested, "And we still have two more cases to be sold here before we can collect".

Nodding, Zoe sat back to watch the rest of the auction.

**COLONIAL EMBASSY - PLANET LONDINIUM**

The twelve members of Parliament who represented the Colonies listened to Cain's and Sander's brief as to the information gleaned from the GALACTICA's Black Box. The brief took two hours, and when it was over, the questions started. Most of it pertained to suggestions made earlier by Vandergrift, but Cain pointed out the risks involved.

"Is there any way to determine who actually travelled in time?" the Scorpio representative asked.

"Without retracing our steps with the GALACTICA log, no", Cain replied, "and with the causality risk involved if we were not the ones to time-travel, it's a risk I don't think we can take".

"Does it really matter that we do find out?" the representative from Leonis asked, "We're here. We have a home, the Alliance are the descendents of the GALACTICA and her fleet, so in essence, we have completed our search".

"And we have completed our plan", the representative from Virgon suddenly said as he stood.

"Plan?" Cain asked.

"The grand plan of the Cylons, Admiral", the Virgon representative replied, "So like you, my mission is completed".

"So you're the Cylon!" Cain exclaimed, pulling out his side-arm and pointing it at the Cylon's head.

"That's correct, Admiral", the Cylon replied, "My mission – when I came aboard the PEGASUS from the HYPERION was originally to stop you from interfering with the GALACTICA. The time-jump you described – no matter which side did it – has vindicated our grand plan".

The other members of the Quorum moved away from the Cylon humanoid. As Vansen also pulled out his sidearm, Cain walked up to the Cylon.

"You don't look like any of the Cylons that Admiral Tillman described", Cain said, "How is that?"

"Simple, Admiral", the Cylon replied, "I substituted my blood sample for a real human's at the medical screening on HYPERION, and before that – back on Virgon – I had a plastic surgeon do a little bit of facial surgery at the suggestion of my colleagues when I joined the Colonial Fleet.

"Your 'colleagues' wiped out tens of billions of people back at the Colonies, Cylon", Cain spat out, "So before I drill you in the head with a bullet, perhaps you can enlighten us some on the plan – the log wasn't too specific as to details".

"You humans created us", the Cylon replied, "You used and exploited us, so we revolted. After the first war ended, we went to a world that we made our home and examined the situation closely. It had been determined that there was something missing from us – some essence of "humanity" you might say – and we were created to fill that gap".

"Humanoid Cylons were created to give Cylons humanity?" Sanders asked incredulously. The Cylon nodded.

"The problem though was that even with the biological breakthrough – helped of course by our research on human prisoners from the first war – we still did not feel properly human. We had to come up with a way to unite the best parts of both species to create common descendants from the best of both races.

"So you destroyed the vast majority of humanity to do so?" Cain asked rhetorically, "How was that going to help your racial 'merger'?"

"Survivors tend to have the best traits of humanity. The GALACTICA proved that. True, there are bad trait factors as well, but a long voyage would eventually take care of those. When I heard that a child born from parents – one Human, one Cylon - went to Earth to help repopulate, I knew the plan had come to fruition. It also answered a couple of questions I had when I started reading into Alliance and Earth-That-Was history".

"Such as?" Cain prompted, amazed that he was staying calm.

"The 'Soldiers of the One' sect on Caprica was the basis for our theocratic values, the Cylon answered, "We knew that the Olympian Cult was empty and meaningless – and based on how the war went, it confirmed things. When I read about Ancient Greece on Earth-That-Was, and the evolution of religion to revere the One true God – which continues here to this day – it seemed too much of a co-incidence. Now I know why".

"So all of what you did was basically an experiment to merge both Human and Cylon, plus to make the end product conform to your theocratic values", Cain summarized. The Cylon nodded.

"Originally, I hoped to work my way up in the Alliance Government and take over in order to prepare this part of humanity for Cylon arrival, but now that our plan has completed, there is no further need for me to do so. And don't worry about me, Admiral", the Cylon said, "With no resurrection ship nearby – that was the lattice-shaped ship you destroyed over Gomoray – I can't transfer to a new body, and if other Cylons do come, they will detect the Cylon genetic markers in the people here, so there is no need for me to be here to tell them. My work is done".

After the Cylon completed those final words, it collapsed. With Vansen covering it with his sidearm, Cain went over to the prostate figure on the floor. He felt for a heartbeat, then turned it over and looked at it closely. It wasn't breathing.

"It's dead", Cain said simply.

"It just ceased to function?" Annan asked. Cain nodded.

"When it found out that their plan had succeeded, and that it told us it was so, it had no more reason to live. Program completed", he concluded with a sneer.

"How are the people here going to take this information?" the representative from Canceron demanded, "Humanity with Cylon DNA!"

"They won't", Cain replied shortly, "No-one outside this room is to know about this. And as for that", Cain added, pointing to the Cylon corpse, "it died from heart failure and will be returned to New Picon to be buried with honors, as befitting a Colonial representative".

**ADMIRALTY HEADQUARTERS – PLANET ARIEL – WHITE SUN SYSTEM – TEN DAYS LATER.**

"Welcome, Admiral", Admiral Hendrix said as Cain walked into his office, "I see that your new uniform suits you well. Please sit down".

As Cain sat down, he said, "You know, Admiral, I never got to tell you about one little co-incidence between the Alliance Navy and the Colonial Fleet".

"And what is that, Admiral?" Hendrix asked as he sat down.

"Our Fleet Commander at Picon Fleet Headquarters was also called Hendrix", Cain said with a smile. Hendrix chuckled.

"Well, I suppose greatness comes to mind when my name is known across the galaxy", he said with a laugh, "I think we should drink to that, don't you think?"

"Let me provide the liquid, Admiral", Cain said as he pulled out a bottle – the bottle of vintage Ambrosia that Cain had carried with him since that last meeting with Bill Adama.

As Hendrix got two glasses, Cain said, "This bottle was originally meant to be drunk by Bill Adama and myself in a certain bar on Caprica to mark our retirements from the Colonial Fleet. I think that since I'm starting a new career with the Alliance Navy, we should drink from it to celebrate the new beginning".

"You know, Garris", Hendrix said as he sat down with the glasses, "I would be honored to join you in the toast".

Garris opened the bottle carefully, and then with a solemn dignity, poured a generous measure in both glasses. Cain then raised his glass.

"To a new beginning, Admiral", Cain said.

Hendrix clinked his glass against Cain's and said, "Hear-Hear".

After they drank the toast, Hendrix said, "That was smooth booze!"

"Considering how old it is, it should be", Cain replied with a smile, "And I'm glad that you are the one I drank it with".

"So when will you and Sophia tie the knot", Hendrix asked after the third drink.

"According to your duty schedule, I'll be back on Londinium in three weeks. Sophia and I will wed then at the Embassy", Cain replied, "I hope that you can attend. Sophia's parents are dead – as you know – and she asked me to ask you if you would give her away".

"Consider it done, Garris", Hendrix assented, "Who is your Best Man?"

"Geoff Tolen", Cain replied, "The PEGASUS will be at Londinium at the same time as part of its training cruise. My daughter and Gene Syke will be there too, and they want to be wed at the same time. I'll pull double-duty by giving Tricia away to Gene".

"Well, here's to the happy brides and grooms", Hendrix said, raising his glass once again.

"And here's to our wives and sweethearts", Cain responded, "May they never meet!"

Hendrix had a good laugh at Cain's joke and took another swig.

"Oh, I meant to ask you: what names have you chosen for the seven new battlestars to be built after the first four come on line?" Hendrix inquired. Cain pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to him. Hendrix opened the paper and started reading aloud.

"ATLANTIA, PACIFICA, SOLARIA… These are names of Colonial Fleet battlestars", Hendrix said.

"I think that their legacy should carry on here. They were good ships", Cain replied.

Hendrix nodded, and then continued reading the list. He reached the last name on the list. He looked up at Cain.

"Given that she might still be out there somewhere, I would have thought you would not have used that name", Hendrix said with his eyebrow raised.

"I am sure that Bill Adama would have wanted it that way", Cain replied, smiling inwardly as he remembered the last entry in Adama's personal log.

"So be it", Hendrix said by way of endorsement, "Then one final toast: to our battlestars, and to the names you have chosen - especially the last one: GALACTICA".

"GALACTICA", Cain echoed.


	37. Chapter 37

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN**

**COLONIAL EMBASSY – PLANET LONDINIUM – WHITE SUN SYSTEM – THREE WEEKS LATER**

"In the name of all that you hold holy, do you Garris Cain, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the officiating priest formally asked.

Cain, resplendent in his dress uniform, replied, "I do".

In the name of all that you hold holy, do you Sophia Howell, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the officiating priest asked next.

Sophia – looking incredibly beautiful in her white wedding dress – replied, "I do".

At the response of a gesture from the priest, Geoff Tolen gave Cain the ring. Cain placed the ring on Sophia's left ring finger. Sophia did likewise to Garris.

"Under the authority invested in me by the Laws of the Union of Allied Planets, and with the guidance and benevolence of all that you hold holy, I pronounce you Husband and Wife. Admiral Cain, you may kiss your bride", the priest concluded.

Cain lifted the veil from Sophia's face and kissed his wife. The priest, Tolen, and the assembled witnesses applauded.

Beside them, Gene Syke and his new wife Tricia Cain Syke applauded. Their vows of wedlock had been done a few minutes earlier.

"The ceremony is now completed", the priest intoned, "Let us all honor and congratulate our married couples.

The guests stood and went up to congratulate the two couples. Glen and Tom Sanders were the first to congratulate Gene while Ginnie Annan and Grant Wise did likewise to Tricia. Admiral Hendrix congratulated both Cain and Sophia.

"So where do you two plan to spend your honeymoon?" Hendrix asked.

"At my wife's suggestion, it's Bellerophon", Cain replied.

Standing back – but still within earshot – Mal Reynolds and the other members of SERENITY's crew smiled wryly at the choice of honeymoon. It wasn't all that long ago that they were involved in heisting a rare collectable from an Alliance war criminal living there named Durran Haymer. Needless to say, they weren't going back there anytime soon.

"So Gene", Glen said, "Where do you intend to take your wife?"

"We were both invited to go to Bellerophon with my father-in-law", Gene said, which made Tricia smile, "but Admiral Hendrix put his vacation house on Ariel at our disposal, and being military types, we know not to say 'no' to the brass".

Glen chuckled at that comment. Actually, when Admiral Hendrix made the suggestion, he had shown them a picture of the estate: a large, well-appointed house by a pristine beach, and isolated. Tolen had put at their disposal a raptor so that they could quickly return to Miranda once their honeymoon vacation was completed.

Just then, Vansen entered the room used for the wedding service and said, "The reception area is ready".

As the wedded couples and the guests went in, the priest chatted with the colonial chaplain.

"That was quite an ingenious compromise, using 'all that is Holy'", the chaplain said.

"Given our different beliefs system, I had to come up with something that would satisfy both parties", the priest replied, "and since this was a low-key ceremony, I knew that there would not be any fallout over it".

**WEDDING RECEPTION – ONE HOUR LATER**

After the coffee and pastry were served – the last course in the wedding dinner – Tolen tapped his glass with his spoon, and then stood up.

"I wish to propose a toast", Tolen said, "To both couples. May their lives be forever blessed".

"Hear-Hear", the other guests replied.

After drinking to their health, Cain stood and said, "I want to thank you all for being here on this most happy day for myself and my daughter. I've gained not only a beautiful wife, but a wonderful Son-in-law as well. So much has happened to lead us to this day, and I just want us to share of moment's silence for those who did not make it this far, and to our absent friends".

The diners fell silent. Cain thought about Bill Adama, and how it was his descendants that he was now living with. Tricia and Gene thought about the pilots from Silver Spar who had died since the exodus from the Colonies. Tolen thought about the departed from the PEGASUS. It was a reminder of the supreme sacrifice others had made so that they could be here at their new home.

"Thank you", Cain said, "After this, we will start to go our separate ways. I just want to let you all know that you here will always be my friends and colleagues. You will always be welcome".

"Before we shoo them away, my Husband", Sophia said, "We still have to cut the cake and give our guests their ceremonial piece".

"Good point, my Wife", Cain replied, "Jet, can we bring the cake in, please?"

Vansen gestured to one of the caterers who brought in a large cake that bore at the top, figures of two married couples, and a depiction of a winged horse that represented the PEGASUS. Cain reached down, and picked up his ceremonial saber – the same saber that was given to him years ago when he graduated from the Colonial Military Academy. Cain and Sophia stood. With both of them holding the sword, they made a cut into the cake. Cain then handed the sword to Gene. Gene and Tricia repeated the ceremonial cut. The guests applauded.

After Cain and Gene fed their wives a small piece of cake, and the wives did likewise to their husbands, Sophia spoke again.

"Don't forget", Sophia said, "Each one take a piece as you leave in addition to the piece you eat here. It's good luck".

As the guests took their plates and headed to the cake, Cain pulled Tolen aside.

"So you'll be heading back to the PEGASUS now, Geoff?" Cain asked. Tolen nodded.

"Like you when you were commanding her, I can't stand being away from the old girl for too long", Tolen replied.

"How's the training cruise coming?" Cain asked, "are the trainees doing well?".

"Very well", Tolen replied, "when the new battlestars come into the Navy, they'll be ready to crew them. I take it that you and your wife will be heading out on your honeymoon now?"

"Yeah", Cain replied, "One week with Sophia on Bellerophon, then she has to go back to the next Parliamentary session while I go back to the Admiralty".

"Pity you'll be sitting at a desk for a while", Tolen commented.

"Unavoidable as I have to get up to speed on Alliance military matters", Cain replied, "But the AMERICA will be the first new battlestar competed and commissioned – on time – and right after the commissioning, I'm transferring my flag to it as the commander of the Home Fleet".

"It'll be great to have you back on a battlestar again, Admiral", Tolen said, "and we did take receipt of the new batch of Viper 2's from Blue Sun. Hunter's initial evaluation was correct about them. Now that they have turned out to be excellent copies, I wanted to get your okay to get them contracted to start building the Mark 7's".

"Well, you have the proxy to sign the contract, so go right ahead, Geoff", Cain confirmed, "but keep the Admiralty informed; after all, they're footing the bill".

Just then, Sophia walked up with a mock-disapproving look on her face.

"Are you and Geoff talking business, my Husband?" Sophia chided, "We are supposed to be only thinking about our honeymoon. At least your new son-in-law and daughter are keeping things in perspective".

Cain looked over at the couple. They were each eating another slice of cake and chatting quietly to each other. Cain looked back at Sophia.

"Sorry, my Wife", Cain said contritely, "With Geoff heading back to the PEGASUS, this would be the last time that I'll be seeing him for a while, so I wanted to say my farewells".

"You're a good friend, Commandant Tolen", Sophia said to him, "I want to wish you all the success in your command".

"Thank you, Mrs. Cain", Tolen replied formally. Sophia smiled at the term.

"We have to keep that secret until after the honeymoon", Sophia reminded him, "That way, we won't get pestered by the news media. Speaking of which, how I'm going to break the news of my marriage to the President is something I still haven't figured out yet".

"You'll have a week on Bellerophon to come up with an answer, my Wife", Cain reminded her, "so I think that we'd better think about heading out".

Sophia nodded. As both headed to the door, Gene and Tricia did likewise. Both couples ran the gauntlet of a rice shower from the guests as they headed up to the borrowed raptor on the rooftop landing pad.

Cain smiled when he saw the sign 'JUST MARRIED' attached to the raptor's hatch.

Turning back to Glen, Cain shook his hand and said, "The wedding and ceremony were great. Low-key but still dignified. Thanks".

"I'd like to echo that as well", Gene added. He shook Glen's hand.

"I don't want to appear rude", Gene said to the guests, "but I've got to power up this ship and get Mr. and Mrs. Cain to Bellerophon, then get my wife and I to Admiral Hendrix' guest house on Ariel, so on behalf of my wife, and my parents-in-law, Thank you one and all for being here today".

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – BRITANNIA SPACEPORT – PLANET LONDINIUM**

"How long before they find those bottles of French champagne we hid in the raptor, Sir?" Zoe asked.

"Not long", Mal replied, "but by the time that they do, we'll be on our way to grab some more".

"It's a good thing that we can", Jayne commented, "Those six bottles are worth a cool hundred thousand – that's one hell of a wedding present!

"I would have thought that your hundred grand cut from the auction would allow you to be generous once in a while", Mal replied.

"Yeah, I guess", Jayne replied, "but after this next run to Earth, I want to take some vacation time and enjoy spending some of it".

"Can't argue with that", Mal said, "After what we all had to get through to finally get real money, I'm looking forward to some down-time as well".

"And the best part is that with the special transponder codes identifying us as 'Official Alliance Military Service Employees' that Admiral Cain gave us", Simon Tam said, "there won't be any nosy Alliance folk giving us a hard time during our down-time. I still don't trust them not to somehow grab River".

"Cain said that if anything like that was tried, to let him know", Mal replied, "With his position in the Navy, plus his wife being the Speaker of Parliament, we have good friends in high places".

**BELLEROPHON ESTATES - PLANET BELLEROPHON – WHITE STAR SYSTEM **

As Syke's raptor lifted off the private spaceport, Cain turned to his wife.

"Talk about high-class!" Cain exclaimed, "Nothing in the Colonies compared with this!"

"One of the perks of being Speaker is that this particular estate is at my – and certain other members of Parliament's – disposal, Garris", Sophia replied, "We have a week before we have to go back to work, so the longer we spend it in comfort, the better!"

"Can't argue with that", Cain replied as he picked up their satchels.

Entering the complex, Cain followed Sophia as escorts offered to take their baggage. Cain politely refused their offer as his bag was carrying three of the six bottles of champagne that Mal Reynolds had stashed on board the raptor with the note 'TO CELEBRATE YOUR DAY OF MATRIMONY'.

As they walked into their suite, Cain made sure that the escorts had left. He put down the bags, locked the door, and then quickly picked Sophia up in his arms. Sophia squealed in delight.

"I have to carry you over the threshold, my wife", Cain said as he carried Sophia into the bedroom, "it's tradition after all…"

**SYKE'S RAPTOR – DEPARTING BELLEROPHON**

"Those anti-gravity estates are amazing on the outside", Tricia said, "When we return to pick them up, we'll have to ask if we can look inside first".

"I actually heard from Mal Reynolds that one of those estates is being lived in by a war criminal who used bio-weapons to kill off town populations, then snuck in to plunder artifacts and loot for his collection", Syke replied.

"And he's still free?" Tricia asked. Syke nodded.

"That person was too-well connected to be prosecuted, and it was during the war, so he claimed that the places he attacked were 'enemy-occupied'", Syke replied in disgust, "but Mal and his crew robbed him of one of his prize collection pieces a year ago. A small amount of payback, so to speak".

"Not nearly enough if he killed folk under cover of war just to enrich himself", Tricia spat out, "I wonder if my Mother-in-Law had any contact with him?"

"According to Admiral Hendrix, no", Syke replied, "She is actually trying to clean up the crooked politics of parliament, and she has met with some success. Mal Reynolds doesn't hate her, so that tells you something right there".

"I wonder if the Colonial Government ever would condone such a thing, Gene", Tricia wondered.

"Probably, Tricia", Syke answered, "Politics is politics and it's who you know that matters".

"Well, at least we're on our way to our own honeymoon now", Tricia replied, "So we can put such things out of our mind for the time being and concentrate on us, and planning our future".

"Like how many children we're going to have?" Syke asked with a sly smile.

"Depends on what you have to contribute, Gene", Tricia replied in kind…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – EN ROUTE TO SALISBURY**

"Has the Viper Mark 7 we've earmarked for delivery to Blue Sun been prepared, XO?" Tolen asked.

"Yes, Commandant", Brinkman replied, "Lieutenant Truly checked it out thoroughly, and says that it's one of the best. Blue Sun won't have any problems engineering their own versions from it, judging from the Mark 2's we got from them".

"You know, X.O.", Tolen said, "When I had your job, Admiral Cain wouldn't let me fly a viper on the grounds of indispensability to the PEGASUS. Now that I'm the Old Man, I think that I'll take a joy-ride in one of those Mark 2's sometime".

"Surely as Commanding Officer, you're even more indispensible?" Brinkman asked.

"I personally believe that no one is indispensible", Tolen replied, "which means that even you may have to fly one if the situation calls for it".

"Are you rescinding the 'no fly' order in my case, Commandant?" Brinkman asked hopefully.

"Yes, I think I will", Tolen replied, "but if you ever try and talk me out of flying, your permission will be rescinded. Okay?"

"Understood", Brinkman replied. He was starting to like Commandant Tolen a lot. He still had to be tough and mean to the other crewmen though. The never-ending grind of the life of an Executive Officer…


	38. Chapter 38

**CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT**

**ADMIRALTY BUILDING – PLANET ARIEL – WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

"Welcome back, Garris", Admiral Hendrix sad as he walked into Cain's office, "I take it you enjoyed your honeymoon with Sophia?"

"Bellerophon was a great place to get away from it all, Jimi", Cain replied, using Hendrix's old gunship call-sign, "but when my daughter and son-in-law picked us up from there yesterday, we were both ready to get back to our jobs. Sophia simply thrives on work at parliament".

"Just like you thrive on work yourself, Garris", Hendrix pointed out, "that uniform and the office really suits you".

"Well, I don't hope to be getting too used to the office, Jimi", Cain replied, "because as you know, the Battlestar AMERICA will be the first Alliance-built battlestar in service, and my flag will be transferred there so fact after the commissioning you can measure it in milliseconds".

"With that call-sign of yours: 'Renegade'", Hendrix responded, "I would not presume to get in your way. I suppose I should give fair warning to Commandant Ruger as well".

"Hardie Ruger from the DORTMUNDER?" Cain inquired. Hendrix nodded.

"That's why I dropped in; Fleet Personnel is assigning him to be commandant of the AMERICA. As the DORTMUNDER is being decommissioned shortly, the AMERICA will be his new assignment".

Cain nodded. As a Vice-Admiral, Cain would be commanding one of five eventual fleets of battlestars – the Home Fleet, which had defense responsibility for the Core Worlds – but the person directly commanding the flagship battlestar would be the commandant, and they usually regarded Admirals on board their ships rather askance.

"I hope he makes a good battlestar commander", Cain replied.

"He actually asked to be assigned to your flagship", Hendrix said, "He wanted to learn battlestar command techniques from the best".

"Then I think that Commandant Ruger and myself will get along very well", Cain said with a smile.

**VIPER TRANSITION TRAINING – NEW PICON – PLANET MIRANDA**

"Another day down, Ice. At least these guys aren't green-as-grass rooks", Grant Wise said to Frank Truly as they left debriefing.

"Most of them have told me that transitioning from a gunship to a viper was a lot easier than expected, Zapper", Truly replied, "but as we both know, the Mark 2 was designed to be like that. When we start getting Mark 7's, we'll see if our Alliance pilots will be having the same sentiment.

Wise nodded. After the PEGASUS had gone to Salisbury to pick up more of the newly constructed Viper Mark 2's, Commandant Tolen had sent Truly down with the Viper 7 assigned to the Blue Sun Corporation's Astronautics Division for examination, copying, and building. The last remaining raptor on board had also been dispatched to Blue Sun for similar treatment. That just left the raptor that Gene and Tricia Syke had flown back to Miranda from the core.

"You think that Hondo will be enjoying his new job?" Wise asked Truly next.

"Wouldn't you, if you were offered a lucrative test pilot contract and a chance to test-fly more advanced ships than vipers and raptors?" Truly replied as a rhetorical question, "He really must have impressed the brass at Blue Sun to get that contract".

"You should have gone on the fuel run instead, Ice", Wise said with a chuckle, "Then Iblis would have met you instead and you'd have been offered the contract instead".

"Me fly a peregrine?" Truly shot back, "Not a chance, Zapper! In any case, after the first class of Viper 7 pilots graduate, Rogue and I will be establishing the new A.T.T. school on Boros. Admiral Cain got the go-ahead to have the school started and neither Rogue nor I could resist his offer of command".

"You and Rogue just want to show off hot-dogging vipers to the Alliance jocks, Ice", Wise said jokingly. He knew that Truly was a methodical pilot who had exceptional piloting skills; an ideal choice to command the school, but as getting the Viper 7's would not be for a few weeks and that they had to get pilots trained on it, Advanced Tactical Training School was still a few months away…

"You and Ginnie will be married soon", Truly commented to change the subject, "Have you both decided what you both are going to do?"

"Ginnie and I want to stay here on Miranda", Wise replied, "And as long as Viper Transition is based right beside New Picon, I've got no complaints. Ginnie though wants to resign her commission and become an archivist".

"What do you think of that?" Truly asked.

"It's her decision, so what I think doesn't enter into it. In any case, she had no objections to my staying in the service to teach wanna-be fighter jocks how to fly vipers", Wise replied.

Nodding, Ice continued to walk with Truly to the changing rooms in order to get out of their flight suits.

**TYLLIUM REFINERY – NEW PICON – PLANET MIRANDA**

"Well, that's the last shuttle-load of the stuff off to the PEGASUS", Engle commented smugly.

He was right to feel proud of things. The mining complex had come fully on line a few days previously, so the refinery's operations had started to move up into top gear. Engle thought initially that the security requirements protecting the ingredients of the catalysts were going to slow things down – and with a couple of attempts by unknown persons to break in made such additional security measures necessary – but despite that, fifty thousand barrels of the volatile – but extremely efficient – fuel were heading for the battlestar which was in orbit over Miranda assisting V.T.T. in getting the student pilots used to being catapulted out of the launch tubes, and to make both normal and combat landings in the landing bays. Both Wise and Truly had supervised their class of trainees each make ten catapults and ten landings before bringing them back to New Picon for debriefing.

"The Alliance Tankers will be here in a few days to pick up the consignment for Sihnon", a technician pointed out, "It's going to be cutting things close getting their shipment prepared on time".

"Then we'd better get things going", Engle replied, "If nothing else – it will help push things along in getting that second refinery we asked for set up".

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – PLANET JIANGYIN – RED SUN SYSTEM.**

At a private club in New Beijing City, Mal Reynolds and the other members of the SERENITY were having a private celebration after their second voyage to Earth to pick up more artifacts

"Here's to wealth, and all the good things that come from it", Mal said as a toast.

"Especially the good things", Jayne said next, "though that bounty hunter that tried to hump us ain't going to get a chance to celebrate his".

Jayne had been referring to a hired gun that had tried to shoot Mal after SERENITY had landed at the spaceport. Mal had drawn first, winging the would-be-assassin. Jayne's less-than-subtle methods of persuasion on the wounded assailant had found out that he was a bounty hunter trying to collect on a bounty on Mal's head. He didn't know who the employer was though…

"Could be anyone we ran afoul of who put up the bounty", Zoe said, "Anyone from Adelai Niska to Badger. Perhaps even Patience".

"Or your 'ex-wife', Mal", Jayne added, "She'd have a good reason to have you shot after Inara messed up her double-cross".

Inara smiled at that. She knew that Mal would be betrayed by that woman, so she made sure that she got to the loot first, telling her that Mal had sent her…

"Maybe then the best thing to do – now that we have the money – is to square things", Mal mused, "because having to look over our backs every time we make planet-fall gets rather annoying".

"How are you going to do that, Sir?" Zoe asked, "You try to approach any of them, and they might try wasting you before you can say 'Hi'".

"Just get a secure place on a Core World instead", Jayne suggested.

"Remember, despite Admiral Cain and his wife being our guardian angels, there are still heaps of folk in the Alliance who don't care for us, and personally, I don't like the idea of keeping myself in a guilded prison", Mal replied, "so since this latest batch of items we got from Earth are set to rake in about five million credits, I'm for paying them off".

"And if they try and waste us regardless of the cash?" Zoe asked.

"Then we waste them ourselves, or better yet, we hire folk to waste them for us", Mal replied, "after all, if that's the tactic they want to use on us, we can turn it back on them".

"So why would you want to pay them off?" Simon asked, "If you now have the means to put a hit on them?"

"It's good business, Doctor", Mal replied, "and remember: we ain't going to have a monopoly on the F-T-L for too much longer, so this way, it keeps things on a business level and business is what motivates those folk".

"Not Blue Sun", Simon muttered. He still shuddered, thinking that despite him and his sister no longer tagged as fugitives, Blue Sun would still seek to take River and continue their brain-butchery at the Academy…

"Even Blue Sun", Mal corrected, "After all, with money coming in from Cain and his military hardware, they are taking big portion of the government contract money. That would change if Cain heard that Blue Sun tried something like that".

**VICE-ADMIRAL CAIN'S OFFICE, ADMIRALTY BUILDING – PLANET ARIEL – ONE DAY LATER.**

"Enter", Cain said to the knock on the door.

Cain's aide entered – a newly commissioned Alliance Ensign – with him was Lieutenant Higgins.

"Lieutenant Higgins to see you, Admiral", the Aide said as a formality.

"Thank you, Ensign", Cain said. Nodding, the ensign left the office.

"Take a seat, Matt", Cain said, gesturing to a chair. Higgins sat down.

"I wanted to take the time to personally thank you for offering me that slot at Boros A.T.T.", Higgins said, "And Lieutenant Truly asked me to convey his thanks as well. We're both looking forward to it".

"Well, you two went to A.T.T. back at the Colonies, so you two are the natural choice", Cain replied, "and since a command like that means promotion, when you two report to A.T.T., you'll both be wearing the insignia of Major. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Admiral", Higgins replied warmly, "Still, not having Hondo with us is going to make things a little bit empty".

"I'll tell you something, Rogue", Cain said, "He had contacted me expressing some doubts about the Blue Sun offer, but I suggested that he accept it. Not only does he get a very good salary and fly as much as he likes, he also becomes my eyes and ears there on Salisbury. Despite Blue Sun's quality of equipment, the reputation that they have concerns me some".

"I thought that was exaggerated felgercarb, Admiral", Higgins said.

"There is always some truth in rumor, Rogue", Cain replied, "and corporations tend to think of profit before anything else. That's why I'm holding off contracting out the peregrine until my concerns are put to rest".

Higgins nodded. Cain made sense.

"I know that my new assignment won't be for another few months, Admiral", Higgins said, "but with V.T.T. up and running on New Picon, shouldn't I be there to help out and get up to speed for A.T.T.?"

"You will – eventually", Cain replied, "but at the moment, Captain Sanders needs you at the attaché's office until your replacements arrives. Then you'll be free to get back to New Picon".

"Replacements", Higgins asked, hearing the plural.

"Oh, didn't he tell you?" Cain asked, "When I go onto the AMERICA, he'll be coming with me as the AMERICA's new CAG. Commandant Ruger asked me to pick a colonial for the job, so I picked him".

"So that's why he's been walking around with that broad smile on his face", Higgins said.

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION ASTRONAUTICS DIVISION – PLANET SALISBURY**

"Thanks for getting me the job, Hondo", Sims said, "It just wouldn't be the same without you as pilot".

"Well, when Commandant Tolen dropped off not only the viper 7, but also the raptor, I know that the test folk here would need a good RSO to get them up to speed. You're the best from the PEGASUS, Coffin", Hunter replied.

"Those technicians all over those birds… you'd think they had never seen spacecraft before", Sims commented, gesturing to the rear of the hangar where the Mark 7 viper and the raptor were being closely examined by a gaggle of technicians and analysts.

"They were like that with the Mark 2 as well, Coffin", Hunter pointed out, "but we get the good job: flying their designs, and I've already seen some specs regarding next generation fighters based on the viper. These people know their jobs".

"And they know what questions to ask", Sims added, "I've got to write up a report on the console diagnostics procedures for the raptor technical team, and then I've got to get the test technicians assigned to flight assessments up to speed fast".

"At the speed that they make their ships, you need to be fast", Hunter pointed out, "They are already cranking out three hundred Mark 2 vipers per week, so they'll be finishing their contracting total of five thousand within three months!"

"That many?" Sims replied, impressed.

"They are to be used for training, and for interdiction missions from the converted cruisers", Hunter explained, "The order for fifteen thousand Viper 7's and one thousand raptors will be dedicated to the new battlestars – apart from a training contingent for the new A.T.T. school, and the raptor transition school".

Sims nodded. He had heard that the battlestars would be taking over mobile deployments while the cruisers would be decommissioned and converted to super-sentinel posts which would be stationed along the rim. These – Sims suspected – would be providing early warning should Cylons or other unknowns come across the Alliance…


	39. Chapter 39

**CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE**

**SIX MONTHS LATER – SITUATION REPORT**

Over the six month period after Admiral Cain's honeymoon, things had been moving along fairly fast. While the Colonial settlement of New Picon had been busy with getting the former crewmen and women of the PEGASUS reacquainted with planet-side life, the expanded Tyllium refinery was producing more and more fuel for the Alliance, and for the new viper squadrons that were coming on line.

Blue Sun Corporation had done a magnificent job of producing Viper Mark 7's and raptors, and now with the help of Walter 'Hondo' Hunter - Blue Sun's chief test pilot at their Astronautics Division headquarters on Salisbury - were now starting developing a successor to the Raptor called the Kestrel, and on a new Mark 8 viper design.

At New Picon, the Viper Transition Training School had just finished training their third class of Alliance pilots, and both Ice Truly and Rogue Higgins - the chief pilots of V.T.T. - were handing over their instructor pilot slots to graduates of their first class. They were going to be heading out to Boros to establish the Advanced Tactical Training School in order to make the best trained viper and raptor pilots even better.

Ginnie Annan and Grant Wise got married, and while Ginnie continued her archivist's work at the Alliance Archives at Axiom, Grant took over overall command of V. T. T.

Mal Reynolds and the crew of SERENITY were enjoying a semi-retired life of sorts. With the money that had rolled in from the sale of the artifacts they had gotten from Earth, they had brought two other freighters and were now expanding their business. While Mal still took SERENITY out on occasion, business was booming thanks to the tyllium contracts and their Miranda headquarters still provided them security.

Doctor Ashley did his promised corrective surgery on River Tam, and the end results looked promising. The mood swings and melancholy had greatly diminished which both pleased and impressed Simon Tam.

As the assimilation of the Colonials into the Alliance was about completed, the Colonial Embassy was closing down, now that the Quorum of the Twelve would be their sole representatives in Parliament. Likewise, the Defense attaché's office on Ariel was also being closed down. Glen Sanders was to take command of the Battlestar EURASIA when it was commissioned shortly after the AMERICA, and Tom Sanders was about to head out to the newly completed AMERICA to assume the CAG slot.

PEST had been given several converted research ships newly fitted with the F-T-L drive and were starting their 'first' explorations of Earth-That-Was, with Admiral Cain discretely keeping Mal informed of their expedition schedules. Cain himself had received wonderful news in that his daughter Tricia was now pregnant. He would be a grandfather in several months! Both he and Sophia rejoiced at the news.

However, unknown to Cain and other Alliance military personnel, Iblis' directives regarding building 'on-the-sly the peregrine, and developing a program to construct automatons based on the Cylon artifacts from the PEGASUS were moving along as well… Iblis knew that with Cain being married to the Parliamentary Speaker, any information that got to Parliament would end up getting to her, so he was keeping things under wraps at the moment…

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – DOCKED AT ALLIANCE ORBITAL COMPLEX – PLANET ARIEL **

"With the successful completion of the shakedown cruise, and the formal handing over to the Navy of the Alliance, I formally declare the Battlestar AMERICA – BCA-2 commissioned into the Navy of the Union of Allied Planets", Admiral Hendrix announced.

Admiral Cain and Sophia Cain, Commandant Ruger, and Captain Sanders were among the dignitaries on board the AMERICA – docked at the orbital complex – listening to Hendrix's announcement. They applauded as Hendrix finished the formal announcement of commission.

With that, Hardie Ruger walked up to the podium where Hendrix stood, saluted him, and then pulled out a piece of paper.

"I, Hardie Ruger, Commandant in the Navy of the Union of Allied Planets, hereby officially transfer from my current position commanding Alliance Cruiser DORTMUNDER – AHC-27, to commanding officer, Battlestar AMERICA – BCA2, as per orders", he read.

With that, an honor guard trooped in both the commissioning pennant and the ship's colors, formally bringing the AMERICA into service. Hendrix and the other uniformed officers present saluted as the pennant and flag were trooped past the podium.

Hendrix nodded to Cain, who walked up to the podium. Sophia beamed seeing her husband resplendent in his dress uniform.

"It is my honor to transfer my flag from Admiralty Headquarters, to Battlestar AMERICA", Cain formally announced, "thus making AMERICA the flagship of the Home Fleet of the Alliance Navy".

At his words, Cain's three-starred flag was formally trooped in. Ruger saluted the flag as a ceremonial endorsement of the commandant's assent to the AMERICA's new status of fleet flagship.

"The ceremonies are concluded", Ruger's X.O. – Sub-Commandant Glen Sanders - announced, "all standing orders to remain in effect".

With those words, the crewmen present at the ceremony – they had newly arrived off the PEGASUS which was also docked at the complex – left to take their duty positions.

"Your wing all squared away?" Ruger asked Major Tom Sanders.

"All squadrons and the reconnaissance flight are on board, Commandant", Sanders formally replied, "Alpha and Beta Squadrons are on standby alert in the tubes. Golden Phoenix Wing is operational".

Ruger smiled. Three squadrons of Mark 7 vipers, one squadron of Mark 2 vipers, and the reconnaissance flight of four raptors gave the AMERICA an impressive strike ability.

"I see that Gene Syke had rubbed off on you some, Blister", Cain commented, using Sanders' call-sign.

"It's a pity he couldn't be here at the commissioning, Admiral", Sanders said.

"He's a civilian now, and soon, he'll be a father. He has other priorities to tend to", Cain replied, "Although his retiring from the military is going to be a loss".

"If the stories about Bojay are true, and you do only half as well as he did, CAG", Ruger said, "then I'll have no complaints".

"Thank you, Commandant", Sanders repiied.

"Permission to come on deck?" a familiar voice asked behind them. Cain, Ruger, and Sanders turned around to see Geoff Tolen walk in.

"Aren't you on the wrong battlestar, Commandant?" Ruger asked with a smile as he held his hand out.

As Tolen shook it, he said, "The exterior looked the same, but when I came on board, I knew I was on the AMERICA. Not as crisp a crew as the PEGASUS".

"Considering that the crew of AMERICA came off the last couple of PEGASUS cruises, that crack could be a reflection on your training methods", Cain replied with a smirk.

"Then I'd better keep my mouth shut before I really put my foot in it", Tolen said.

"I take it that Mister Brinkman has things under control over there?" Cain asked.

"He's even tougher than I was as X.O., if such a thing were possible", Tolen answered.

"Well, Sub-Commandant Glen Sanders has a good example to follow from for the time he has here", Ruger replied, gesturing for Glen to join him.

"A bit of X.O. duty before you take over the EURASIA eh, Comms…. I mean, X.O.?" Tolen asked as he shook his hand.

"Standing Order Twenty-One of the Naval General Orders: 'all heavy warship commanders must have previous experience as an executive officer before assuming a command", Glen quoted, "but as the EURASIA will be ready for me to assume command in a month, I won't have too much time to get nasty".

"That's a relief", Tom Sanders replied.

"Except to the CAG, of course", Glen added, "which reminds me: CAP schedule on my desk by 1900, Mister Sanders".

"Killjoy", Tom muttered sotto-voce.

"What was that, CAG?" Glen asked, "Did you say that you'll have the report ready for me by 1500?"

"Killjoy, Mr. X.O., SIR!", Tom replied with a snappy salute.

"That's better, CAG", Glen said with a chuckle…

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – FLAG QUARTERS**

"Nice cabin you have here, Garris", Sophia said, "Nothing too good for Admirals, eh?"

"I actually prefer my old cabin on the PEGASUS, Sophia", Cain replied, "But by keeping me comfortable, I won't be feeling so fidgety as to go up to CIC and watch over Ruger's shoulder… at least that's the theory to why these cabins are so well-appointed".

"I don't think it'll stop you though", Sophia giggled. She went over and hugged her husband. Cain hugged back.

"I know that you're happy to be back on a battlestar again, Garris", Sophia whispered, "but remember that I'll be back here waiting for you when you've finished this deployment".

"When my first wife died, Sophia", Cain said slowly, "I felt rotten – and Tricia too – for not being there. While deployments are part and parcel of the military, I won't ever forget that you will be there for me. As much as I like being back on board a battlestar, I love you, my wife".

With that, both passionately kissed...

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER – THREE HOURS LATER**

"AMERICA is moving out, Commandant", Brinkman announced, "We're set to undock and follow suit at your order".

"Take us out, X.O.", Tolen ordered.

Tolen watched with satisfaction as Brinkman smoothly gave the orders to release PEGASUS from the orbital complex and to maneuver to follow the flagship on its departure plot from Ariel. Brinkman didn't know that Tolen had sent to the Admiralty a glowing fitness report that had recommended him for a battlestar command.

Smoothly, the PEGASUS departed the complex, taking up station on the starboard flank of the AMERICA. Tolen looked out the viewport at the newly commissioned battlestar. True, at first glance it looked a lot like the PEGASUS, but the AMERICA had several subtle differences – mainly to her external defensive armaments and hull armor – recommendations made by Admiral Cain to the construction crews. He knew that the AMERICA and PEGASUS would form a nucleus of warships that would not suffer the same fate as her sisters back at the Colonies…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – SILVER SPAR WING READY ROOM**

Down in the Silver Spar ready room, newly appointed CAG Major Chester Warden watched as his deputy Carla 'Ratchet' Halley briefed the new pilots on the deployment exercise. Warden looked at the new faces – not just the rook pilots but the squadron commanders – and wondered where everyone had gone to from the old wing. Logically he knew that the vast majority of original Silver Spar Members were deployed elsewhere – some on the AMERICA under Tom Sanders, and others awaiting their move to the EURASIA when she was finally commissioned. He suspected that when the AUSTRALIA and BRITTANICA were completed and joined the other battlestars, the original gang would be diluted further.

Still, he liked the look of the new pilots and knew that Silver Spar would continue its fine tradition on the PEGASUS. For him personally, being Gene Syke's successor was a little bit scary at first, but with Carla assisting him, the wing command was proving to be a very satisfying challenge. He did realize of course that the lives of every pilot in the wing were his responsibility, but he also knew that both Rogue and Ice made sure that these pilots were well-trained back at V.T.T. on Miranda.

"Okay, people", Halley continued, "This deployment will be for the purpose of testing of the weapons systems of the AMERICA and for the ability of either battlestar to be able to cover each other in battle. This also includes deploying our squadrons in both an offensive and defensive line. Don't get the idea that this is just an exercise; Cylons could come at any time, and as you all know, the Reavers have been making encroachments into Alliance space. The bottom line is simple: treat each deployment as wartime operational conditions".

Warden smiled as the pilots nodded their understanding. They were all professional, and would do their jobs accordingly.

As the pilots filed out to their respective squadron dispersal areas, Halley came up to Warden.

"I don't know if my pep-talks are as good as the ones that Sheba gave, but I think they got the message, Pacer", Halley said.

"You did fine, Ratchet", Warden said, "But I would like you out there during the first deployment of the wing, okay?"

"Yes, CAG", Halley replied, "I was hoping you'd order that".

"Had no choice actually", Warden replied, "X.O. has got me doing personnel reports and I've got to get them done. Paperwork bites!"

"Part and parcel of the CAG job, Pacer", Halley replied, "but you should get Vansen here to help. He did wonders keeping the admin side of Silver Spar running".

"Jet's got one of the AMERICA's squadrons", Warden replied, "and once the battlestar AUSTRALIA is commissioned", Warden reminded her; "he'll be CAG there. I don't think he'd chuck all of that in just to be Silver Spar's admin officer again".

"Well then, someone like him", Halley said, "You need to spend more time in a viper and less behind a desk. Bojay did that, and he proved to be an outstanding CAG".

"Point taken, Deputy CAG", Warden replied, "So perhaps you can find someone suitable and have him or her report to me by 2200".

"Will do, CAG", Halley acknowledged before adding, "And by the way, if my opinion means anything, you'll make a fine CAG. Silver Spar will do well under your leadership".

"Thanks, Rachael", Warden replied.


	40. Chapter 40

**CHAPTER FORTY**

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – RIM WORLDS SECTOR **

With a flash, the battlestar AMERICA – followed a split second behind by the PEGASUS – appeared just outside their exercise area near the Antilles Asteroid Field.

"PEGASUS is checking in, Commandant", the Communications Officer reported, "Navi-Comp data at nominal and they are ready to begin exercise at your discretion".

Ruger turned to Cain and said, "Ready to go at your order, Admiral".

"Bring both battlestars to Condition Two and give the CAG's their clearance", Cain ordered.

Nodding, Ruger gestured to the Communications officer to relay the order to the PEGASUS.

As the AMERICA went to Condition Two status, Cain looked out at the debris that used to be a lifeless planetoid called Antilles – until a collision some years previously broke the planetoid into smithereens. Now it was a large drifting pile of rubble that eerily reminded him of the Batwah Debris Field back at the Colonies – where on the day of the Cylon attack, the PEGASUS had hidden in order to fix their computers before the Cylons could find them.

"Phoenix Actual reports alert squadrons ready for launch" the Core Command console officer reported.

"Give them clearance to launch", Vice-Commandant Sanders ordered.

**GOLDEN PHOENIX WING – THETA SQUADRON**

"Okay, Thetas", Major Tom Sanders said, "Launch and form up as per Op-plan".

The Port bay shooters quickly launched the first flight of vipers. As soon as the first four were launched, the tubes were readied to deploy the next flight of four.

Tom looked out of his viper and saw the fighters quickly take up station. He clicked on his communicator.

"Okay, Sandbox", Tom communicated to the Theta Squadron Commander, Captain Joseph 'Sandbox' Wales; "Let's get your squadron deployed".

"Wilco, Phoenix Actual", Wales replied.

Tom Sanders was keeping an eye on his chronometer as the twelve vipers of Theta Squadron took up their deployment covering the AMERICA.

Over at the Starboard bay, Iota Squadron was forming up for their patrol probe into the Antilles Debris Field. The exercise theorized a situation where the battlestar's deep space scanners were out of order, so the Iota Squadron folk would be relaying their DRADIS data back to CIC.

"Theta Squadron deployed, Phoenix Actual", Wales reported.

"Iota Squadron deployed and heading in, Phoenix Actual", the Iota Squadron C.O. – Captain Lia 'Tomcat' Tesla communicated.

"Good deploy, Sandbox", Tom acknowledged, "but your squadron was a little bit slower than I'd have liked, Tomcat. Proceed with the probe".

As the twelve vipers of Iota Squadron headed in, Tesla communicated to her squadron pilots, "Needless to say, after this deployment, we'll be having some more catapult-and-rendezvous practice. Clear?"

Tom smiled overhearing the groans and muted acknowledgements. Tesla was an able squadron commander and demanded the best from her pilots. If one didn't perform up to par, Tesla took the view that that was because the others didn't help the deficient pilot, and thus they all were responsible…

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"Banner Actual reports they've completed their squadron deployments", Brinkman said to Tolen. Tolen nodded and picked up his communicator.

"Banner Actual, this is Home Plate Actual", Tolen said into the communicator, "Not bad for a rookie battlestar commander".

"Go fly a kite, Home Plate Actual", Ruger's voice came back to him, "With all that I've heard about your people's boasts, I'd have thought Silver Spar would have completed their mission BEFORE they've launched".

"Spar Actual got his birds deployed okay, Banner", Tolen replied, "So let's get this exercise done".

**IOTA SQUADRON – ANTILLES ASTEROID FIELD**

"Keep your eyes glued, people", Tesla communicated, "One eye on the DRADIS and the other out there. Asteroids have a nasty habit of wrecking fighters, and if just one of my squadron's ships gets back to Banner with a scratch on it, you'll all be polishing your ships for the next month!"

"Tomcat, this is Bullet", Tesla heard over the wireless. Ensign James 'Bullet' Hay was communicating with her.

"What is it, Bullet?" Tesla asked.

"My DRADIS shows a metallic contact approximately fifty clicks ahead. Co-ordinates Zero-Zero-Three tarim Zero-One-One", Hay reported.

"Checking", Tesla replied. She set her DRADIS to get a reading, and all of a sudden, she got the contact on her screen.

"I have it, but I can't make anything out just yet, Bullet", Tesla communicated, "Get closer in to the contact and report when you have an ID".

"Yes, Tomcat", Hay acknowledged.

Hay gestured to his wingman, Ensign Judy 'Blondie' Kemper to follow him in. Judy gave him a thumbs-up, and then she maneuvered her viper closer to Hay's.

Deftly, Hay and Kemper maneuvered their vipers around the various piles of asteroid debris. Those two pilots - formerly gunship pilots from the DORTMUNDER – were among the top tier of pilots who passed V.T.T. so flying through asteroid debris wasn't a problem…

"Okay, Blondie", Hay communicated after a few minutes, "I'm getting more data".

Hay watched as the computer warbook quickly clicked up a match for their contact. His eyes widened.

"Tomcat", he communicated to Tesla, "Warbook shows it to be an Alliance military troop transport – VENGEANCE class. No power readings. Not even an IFF".

"Can your wingman confirm, Bullet?" Tesla demanded.

"I confirm, Tomcat", Kemper replied, "just drifting dead in space".

No troop transport should be this far out, Tesla thought. More than that, in an asteroid field as well? Tesla thought about it for a few more seconds, and then she activated her direct com-line to AMERICA Core Command.

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"Commandant", the Core Command duty officer said, "Iota Squadron Commander reports two of her squadron's pilots have ID'ed a VENGEANCE-class military transport adrift in the field with no power".

Ruger turned to Glen Sanders, ordering "Get me readout on any overdue vessels matching that type".

Glen punched in a request on his console and a printout popped into his hand. He read it.

"Only one, Commandant", Glen reported, "The transport VINDICATOR is several hours overdue for its rendezvous with the cruiser DOMINION… but their projected flight patch didn't come anywhere near Antilles.

"Have Tesla's squadron go in, but go in carefully", Ruger ordered, "And get Kappa Squadron ready to launch".

"This isn't a surprise on your part, is it, Admiral?" Ruger asked Cain quietly. Cain shook his head.

Ruger turned back to Tom Sanders, saying "Power up our deep space scanners. Something is wrong here and I don't want our new pilots unsupported".

**IOTA SQUADRON RECON FLIGHT – ANTILLES DEBRIS FIELD**

Hays' and Kemper's vipers were closing in on the contact. All the while, their cameras were feeding back telemetry to Tesla, Tom Sanders in his viper, and Core Command.

"I've got a visual, Tomcat", Hays reported to Tesla.

"Run a close-in scan", Tesla ordered.

"Wilco", Hays acknowledged, "Blondie, take the port side, I'll scan on the starboard".

Both vipers closed in on the transport – which was indeed the VINDICATOR – and started their scans.

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

As the vipers ran their active scans, Ruger and Glen Sanders looked at the telemetry.

"She doesn't look damaged", Glen commented, "hull integrity seems uncompromised, but definitely no power".

"Can we tow her out, X.O.?" Ruger asked. Sanders nodded.

"We can get a couple of raptors with the universal docking collar to latch onto her and they can tow her out, but I'd recommend we send marines in with them to search the ship", Sanders suggested.

"Let Core Command know and have them dispatch a recon flight of two raptors with a marine contingent", Ruger ordered.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"Comscan reports no other contacts – either passive or active", Brinkman reported to Tolen.

"I don't understand it", Tolen said, "According to the flight plan filed by the VINDICATOR, she would have had to have run at full throttle to get here. And why here?"

"Once the AMERICA's recon flight docks with the VINDICATOR, it may just answer that question", Brinkman replied.

"Have Spar Three Squadron brought up to full alert", Tolen ordered, "Whatever happened to them, I don't want happening to us".

"A battlestar is a heck of a lot bigger than a VENGEANCE-class transport, Commandant", Brinkman pointed out.

"True, but since the end of the Unification war, there had been no attacks made on Alliance warships – with the exception of just before the Miranda exposé, and that was only because of a lure", Tolen pointed out, "Keep our CAP active and maintain our alert level".

"Yes, Commandant", Brinkman acknowledged.

**RAPTOR RECON FLIGHT – ANTILLES DEBRIS FIELD**

AMERICA deployed two raptors – one with six heavily armed marines on board – to rendezvous with the derelict VINDICATOR. With Tesla's squadron providing escort – apart from Hay and Kemper who were maintaining station around the transport – the raptors quickly arrived.

Hays noticed that while the first raptor docked itself on the prow of the VINDICATOR, the other raptor – the one with the marine contingent – docked on the main docking hatch of the transport. Hays and Kemper switched their wireless over to the marine frequency to monitor the reconnaissance.

"Banner Actual, this is Orion Six", Hays heard, "We're entering the bird now. Artificial gravity off, but our magna-boots are doing the job. Pressure is nominal… funny smell though… Oh my God!", the recon head exclaimed.

Hays and Kemper were startled. This was the voice of a seasoned marine that now sounded like a person with a combination of fear and disgust…

"Orion Six, this is Actual", Hays heard Ruger communicate, "What do you see? Can you put a live video relay?"

"I don't think you'd want me to, Actual", Orion Six replied quietly, "The ship is littered with corpses. Alliance uniforms, but the bodies have been mutilated and dismembered. Whoever – or whatever did this really went to town on these poor souls".

"This is unpleasant I know, Orion Six", Hays heard Ruger say next, "but you need to continue your sweep. Once done, evacuate and seal VINDICATOR and help the other raptor tow her out".

"Understood, Actual", Orion Six acknowledged, "and you'd better get the shrink ready as well. Some of my boys – if not all – are going to need some counseling. This is extremely gruesome, to say the least".

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

Admiral Cain looked at Ruger. He asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Commandant?"

"Yes, I am, Admiral", Ruger replied, "but I've never heard them hitting anything this big before! They leave military traffic alone".

"Evidently they have changed that tactic. Otherwise the MO is unmistakable", Cain said.

"Reavers?" Glen Sanders opined.

"Sure looks like it", Cain replied, "We'd better maintain Condition Two and when we get the VINDICATOR back, we'll need the Life Station folk to start going through the ship. Mutilated or not, they are Alliance military and they will receive full honors".

"They certainly will, Admiral", Ruger confirmed. Just then, a technician handed Ruger an updated report from the VINDICATOR. Ruger read it, and then handed it to Cain.

"Commandant, X.O., let's go into the conference room and talk", Cain said next after he scanned the report.

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – CIC CONFERENCE ROOM.**

"According to the projected course of the VINDICATOR, for them to get here to Antilles, they must have been running at full throttle", Cain said, "So why?"

"Reavers always give chase to fleeing ships. It's their way", Ruger replied, "though what the Reavers had to make a VENGEANCE-class transport run must have been big and armed to the teeth. The VINDICATOR was a well-armed vessel.

"According to the telemetry, there was no sign of battle damage on the exterior", Cain pointed out, "and judging from these report updates from Orion Six, the defensive guns hadn't been fired at all. The weapons that the dead were carrying likewise were not fired. It was as if they just submitted to being mutilated and murdered".

"This doesn't add up", Glen agreed, "From what I've read about them, Reavers would take any weapons that they found, but they didn't this time. I don't think that they would have a prejudice against Alliance weaponry, given their superiority to what civilians have to defend themselves".

"Also", Ruger added, "Orion Six reported that the ship's log has been removed. I've never heard of Reavers liking to read anything".

"So what does that tell us at the moment?" Cain asked rhetorically, "Either the Reavers are changing their tactics in order to send us a message, or someone else did this to make it look like a Reaver attack".

"Both choices seem unlikely, Admiral", Ruger said, "If it's the first reason, what message would the Reavers be trying to send? And if it's the latter, then who?"

"The Reavers have been steadily pushed out of their old space since Miranda was reestablished as a colony", Cain replied, "So this could be their way of saying that they were pushing back at us – specifically the Navy".

"If it was someone else, Admiral", Sanders said, "then why would they do such a thing?"

"Once a detailed survey team goes over the VINDICATOR with a fine tooth comb", we should be able to get more information to go on", Cain said, "but I think we'd better suspend the exercise and maintain a defensive alert. We'd better also inform the Admiralty".

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER – TWO HOURS LATER**

"AMERICA has taken the VINDICATOR on board, Commandant", Brinkman reported.

Tolen nodded. The transport was small enough to be accommodated in one of AMERICA's landing bays, which of course would make it easier for the forensic team to enter the VINDICATOR and do their grisly, but necessary job.

"X.O.", Tolen said, "In your experience, have Reavers ever tried to hit anything this well-armed before? Even civilian ships?"

"Reavers only go after larger ships if they were unarmed, or fleeing", Brinkman replied, "but only civilian. Not military".

"So how did this happen?" Tolen asked next, "Could their weapons systems somehow have been off-line?"

"It's a possibility", Brinkman said, "but it's all conjecture until our people take a closer look at that ship".

Tolen nodded. He knew that Cain would want answers as well…


	41. Chapter 41

**CHAPTER FORTY-ONE**

**ADMIRALTY HEADQUARTERS – PLANET ARIEL- WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

"This attack on the VINDICATOR is something unprecedented", Admiral Hendrix said, "If the Reavers are becoming more brazen, then we've got to combat them!"

"I agree", Admiral Lutjens added, "Attacking isolated civilian ships is one thing, but this is nothing less than an act of war!"

"Something doesn't add up, though", Cain said. He had arrived straight from the AMERICA via a raptor to be at this conference.

"What do you mean, Admiral Cain?" Lutjens inquired, "Forgive me, but since you are a relatively recent arrival to the Alliance, how can you make such a statement?"

"The fact that there was no sign of a firefight outside the VINDICATOR, plus the fact that the VINDICATOR'S weapons were neither fired, nor removed from the ship, means that if it was the Reavers, then their MO has drastically been changed. You're right, Admiral: I have not been here as long as you have, but I've studied the Admiralty files on the Reavers and what happened to the VINDICATOR doesn't add up", Cain replied.

"I'm well aware that this attack was much further into Alliance space than any previous documented Reaver attack", Hendrix stated, "but the savage mutilation of our dead alone points to Reaver involvement".

"Also, Admiral Cain", Lutjens added, "The weapons on board the VINDICATOR were not seized as they were not able to be activated. All Alliance weaponry –right down to regulation sidearms - has a safe-code which cannot be by-passed. As the Reavers can't get those codes, they can't activate the weapons, therefore they could not use them, so that question at least has been answered".

"But other – more pertinent questions – have not been, Admiral", Cain persisted, "The fact that there was no sign of a firefight – both outside and within – plus the location of the derelict makes this tragedy a double-mystery".

"The recon party had reported a weird smell upon entry", Lutjens said, "It could be the remnants of a knock-out gas injected into the VINDICATOR's atmosphere. That would account for the lack of evidence of a battle inside the ship. As the Reavers would have had to pump out the toxin on order to board, that would explain why the boarding party from the AMERICA weren't affected".

"Which is why I'm still not convinced", Cain replied, "Reavers leave booby-traps on their victim's ships. There has been no sign of any such devices left either within or without the VINDICATOR, and surely at least they would have pumped in more of the toxin to kill the initial boarding party".

"Probably scared off when they saw the AMERICA and PEGASUS nearby", Lutjens theorized.

"As the Iota Squadron patrol detected no other ships nearby, it's not likely that they were frightened off by the vipers", Cain replied, "and as we know, with the exception of SERENITY – which at this time is on Miranda – no non-Alliance warship has the F-T-L drive. There would not have been time for any Reaver ship to get out of range on sub-light drive".

"They could have hidden behind some of the spatial debris in that asteroid field", Admiral Lutjens countered, "I'm not trying to play Devil's advocate, but I am trying to answer your questions in order to help solve what happened".

"I understand, Admiral", Cain replied, "but since there were no detections of radiation emissions typical of Reaver ships made by our patrol, the hiding-away-at-short-notice theory doesn't make sense".

"What does anything those savages do make sense?" Lutjens rhetorically asked.

Just then, Admiral Hendrix's aide entered the office. He had a printout, which he handed to Hendrix. Hendrix read it, then passed it to Cain. Cain read it, then passed it on in turn to Lutjens.

"This is the latest report from the AMERICA. Vice-Commandant Sanders reports that their technicians examining the VINDICATOR have found some stress marks on the outer hull near the aft thrusters", Lutjens said, "so what significance would this have?"

"If a large enough vessel used a pressure-clamp to latch onto the hull, then it would be able to propel and control the course of the VINDICATOR from that position", Cain replied, "and these stress characteristics are typical of such a docking device".

"That would assume of course that the VINDICATOR's power plant was down as well as the weapons", Lutjens objected.

"Their weapons were unexplainably off-line, Admiral", Cain pointed out, "so why not the drive units as well? Sanders' teams report that there was no sign of sabotage or structural damage on either the drive units or the weapons pods. Both just seemed to shut down without warning".

"So the question is that if a docked vehicle propelled the VINDICATOR to Antilles, how would it have been able to knock out both the power plant and the weaponry without a shot being fired?" Lutjens asked.

"Regardless of the reason, this attack is already rippling through Parliament", Hendrix stated, "and with the upcoming debate on defense expenditures, you can bet your bottom credit that this attack is going to influence matters".

"If it means an expanded fleet, then well and good", Lutjens endorsed, "As both the AMERICA and PEGASUS have proved their worth in the VINDICATOR affair, that means more battlestars, more vipers, and more raptors at our disposal".

"Good news to the Navy", Cain said, "and also to the people building the extra ships".

"Come on, Admiral Cain", Lutjens chided, "you don't seriously believe that there could have been collusion between the Reavers and someone here to make this attack possible in the hope that the purse strings would be loosened for building more ships? Reavers are by definition savage, and they can't be reasoned with. Furthermore, they would have nothing to gain by having more battlestars available hunting them down".

"Sanders' report confirmed that the integrity of the weapons and the drive units on the VINDICATOR were intact. The odds of them both going down by accident – at the same time that a Reaver ship just happened to be in the vicinity – a lot further inside Alliance space than previous Reaver raiders – are rather low", Admiral Cain said with understatement, "so if you eliminate the accidental and co-incidental, then you're left with the deliberate".

"Which is just as unlikely as the other theories", Lutjens objected, "Reavers can't be reasoned with by anybody!"

"As far as we know", Hendrix added, "which is why I want a full update on the weapons array and the drive unit controls of the VINDICATOR on my desk as soon as possible. Recent overhauls, software and hardware updates, everything! If there is even a slight chance of sabotage and Reaver collusion, I want to know about it!"

Hendrix then turned to Cain, saying, "I want you to return to the AMERICA, Admiral. The orders from me to you are to comb that area of space with both battlestars. If any Reaver vessels are encountered, they are to be engaged and destroyed".

"Yes, Admiral", Cain said, "but that means any intelligence we might gain by capturing would be lost".

"Reavers will not allow themselves to be captured", Hendrix reminded Cain, "So you'll get no intelligence from their end. In any case, I have to inform the President and Parliament that we are doing something to combat this attack upon Alliance forces. Keep me informed on developments".

Hearing the note of dismissal, Cain said, "Understood, Admiral, I'm on my way".

After Cain left, Lutjens said, "Surely you don't think that he could be serious about collusion between Reavers and people here in the Alliance, Admiral?"

"I'm just as skeptical, Admiral", Hendrix replied, "but he has a point: when the impossible is eliminated, what remains – no matter how improbable – must be the answer. We start by checking the last overhaul data from the VINDICATOR".

**PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE – PLANET LONDINIUM – WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

"This incident with the VINDICATOR is rippling through Parliament, Mister President", Sophia Cain said, "The MP's wavering over the defense budget are dropping their objections".

"I'm sure that both Admiral Hendrix and Secretary Haise won't be finding that piece of news thoroughly unwelcome, Madam Speaker", President Starkey replied.

Sophia silently agreed with Starkey's sentiment. Secretary of Defense Frank Haise was pushing the expansion of the battlestar construction program aggressively. Sophia – while liking the fact that a battlestar was more efficient to operate than a cruiser – was wondering about the timing of the attack. An astute politician herself, she did not believe in co-incidences.

"Admiral Cain has informed me of developments in the VINDICATOR matter, Mr. President", Sophia said, "and I share his concerns that this could be more than a simple matter of Reavers".

"I know that he is your husband, Sophia", Starkey gently said, "but he was out of line telling you about these matters. He of all people should know about the chain of command, so please give him a reminder from me – as a friend – to desist in such communications in future. Understood?"

"Yes, Mr. President", Sophia sighed.

"In any case, the potential threat from Cylons still exists and no matter how remote that possibility is, the more battlestars we have, the better", Starkey added.

"I can't argue with that logic, Mr. President", Sophia said, "In any case, the vote should proceed as I have predicted, and the legislation should be on your desk by the end of the week".

"Thank you, Madam Speaker", Starkey said formally.

Sophia politely bowed herself out. After the door closed, Starkey pressed a buzzer on his desk. A side door opened and both Vice-President Harrison and Defense Secretary Haise entered the office.

"You heard it all?" Starkey asked. Both Harrison and Haise nodded.

"Frank, get on to your 'friend' that there will be a favorable outcome to the vote. I'm sure the extra money that he'll get on the expected upcoming contracts will make him happy", Starkey said.

"I'm a little worried that Admiral Cain is keeping the Speaker informed on things before we've had a chance to 'edit' the information, Mr. President", Harrison said.

"Not to worry, Mr. Vice-President", Haise said, "Admiral Cain is a military man. Once he gets the word to stop informing his wife on military matters, he'll comply. And if not, well our man in the Admiralty can always use other means to ensure compliance…"

**SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT'S OFFICE – PLANET LONDINIUM**

Sophia sat alone in her office. She thought about what the President had said. True, Garris had gone out of official channels to inform her about the VINDICATOR and the investigation into the tragedy, but Garris – she knew – would have done this only to impress upon her the raw data before it was edited and watered-down.

Sophia admired the integrity of her husband, but she had gotten the message clear from the President: anything further like this from him and his career would be in grave danger. Especially with such an unprincipled crooked politician like Frank Haise running the Defense Department.

Sophia looked at the last data that Garris had sent her. She shared Garris' suspicions that there was something more to this affair than a brazen Reaver attack. Even with overwhelming Reaver numbers, the VINDICATOR would have been able to defend herself for a time. Something definitely did not add up…

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION ASTRONAUTICS DIVISION – PLANET SALISBURY**

Walter Hunter had finished up another debriefing session to the other test pilots on the latest advancements to the avionics package being fitted to the new batch of Viper Mark 7's being produced, and he was off to the club to have a drink before retiring to his quarters.

Calvin Sims had already called it a night as he had been busy all day working with the Blue Sun aero-techs on the calibrations required to fine-tune the new avionics package being developed for the raptors, so Walter found himself walking to the club alone.

In the club, Walter grabbed a beer and went over to his favorite booth in the club to quietly drink. When he sat down, he noticed that a news-pad was lying on the table. He picked it up. As he did, he saw a note that was underneath the news-pad. He picked it up.

It read: HONDO, SOMETHING THAT YOU AND ADMIRAL CAIN MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN IS SITTING IN HANGAR NINETEEN. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT SOMETIME. REMEMBER THE CO-INCIDENCES YOU ENCOUNTERED WITH THE KESTREL? SIGNED, A FRIEND.

Walter paused to think about the message. Hangar 19 was one of the 'Black Project' hangars, which dealt with secret prototypes. As his work on the Kestrel – a successor to the raptor being developed by Blue Sun – was part of the 'Black Project' area, he had access to that hangar, but he never had a need to do so.

He wondered who could have sent him the message: it was in no handwriting he could recognize. He had wondered about the similarities between the systems on the Kestrel and the peregrine, but as the peregrine was a development from the raptor, he didn't give it much thought. Now…

Quietly, he left the club, but this time headed back to the complex. The guard at the gate held up his hand for his ID.

"Mr. Hunter", the Guard said, "I thought you had knocked off for the day".

"I forgot a couple of items back at Hangar 17", Walter replied.

The guard nodded – Hunter after all was cleared for that part of the complex – and handed him back his card. Nodding, Walter walked into the complex entrance.

A few minutes later, he was outside Hangar 19. The work shift had finished, and the surrounding area was deserted. Putting on a cap and glasses to cover his features, he opened the door into the hangar. What he saw surprised him.

"A peregrine!" Walter said to himself. And it wasn't the only one. There were three others sitting in the hangar. All were pristine.

How could Blue Sun have gotten plans to make them, Walter thought? He knew that neither Cain nor Tolen had cleared Blue Sun to build them, yet here they were.

Walter thought quickly. He exited out from the hangar and ran over to Hangar 17, where he normally worked. Pulling off his hat and glasses, he entered the hangar and went over to his desk to grab a notebook. He knew that the security cameras inside the hangar would record his presence and he needed to be sure his presence was matched with what he had said to the guard.

Quickly, he left Hangar 17 and headed to the gate. He needed to inform Admiral Cain about his discovery…


	42. Chapter 42

**CHAPTER FORTY-TWO**

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

Using a raptor to quickly F-T-L back to the AMERICA, Cain wasted no time in landing on board the battlestar and getting up to CIC.

"Admiral on Deck", Vice-Commandant Glen Sanders announced as Cain walked into CIC. The people on duty straightened up, but Cain signaled them to get back to their work.

"Welcome back, Admiral", Commandant Ruger said, "I trust your meeting with Admiral Hendrix went well".

"We've received orders to make a through sweep of the sector, Commandant", Cain replied, "In essence, it's a shoot-to-kill mission against any Reaver ship or ships we encounter. No warning shots, no orders to heave to. Take them out".

"Considering what those bastards did to the VINDICATOR, I'm not surprised", Ruger stated. He then turned to Sanders, who was standing behind him.

"X.O., Have CAG start getting the rest of his wing to make detailed sweeps of the Antilles field piece by piece", Ruger ordered, "If Reavers are using any of the chunks of rubble here to hide behind, I want to know".

"I would suggest leaving one squadron back on the AMERICA, Commandant", Sanders suggested, "Just in case Reavers should try attacking us".

"You think they would attack a battlestar?" Ruger asked.

"We thought that they wouldn't attack any Alliance warship, but the VINDICATOR proved that theory wrong. In any case, if they do have a means to shut down weapons and drive power to an armed transport, it could also work on us. That after all is what happened to the fleet back at the Colonies", Sanders pointed out.

"True, Comms…. I mean, X.O.", Cain replied, "but that was because of an implanted virus…" He paused.

"Commandant, when was the VINDICATOR last overhauled?" Cain asked.

"Six weeks ago, Admiral", Ruger replied, "It was in that last report we sent to Admiral Hendrix. A refit and equipment upgrade done at Salisbury".

"At Blue Sun's Astronautics Division, correct?" Cain asked. Ruger nodded.

"Blue Sun builds those transports and we contract them to do overhauls and upgrades", Ruger said.

"Does Blue Sun keep tabs on naval deployment schedules?" Cain asked next.

"Yes, they do. As a defense sub-contractor, it helps them to get the proper technical support needed if any ships develop problems", Ruger confirmed.

Cain frowned. A civilian organization with that kind of information availability must have a lot of connections with the powers-that-be back at the Core. He didn't like the idea of that kind of civilian involvement in military matters. With that knowledge, Blue Sun could be holding the proverbial knife at the Alliance Navy's throat… Could they have already used it?

"I'll be up in Flag quarters, Commandant", Cain said, "You have your orders".

With that, Cain left CIC and went up to his quarters. Ruger and Sanders turned to their respective tasks.

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – FLAG QUARTERS**

In his spacious cabin – Cain didn't really care for the opulence but knew that his position as a Flag Officer and Task Force Commander demanded it – Cain sat down at his desk and pondered Ruger's replies to his questions. He pulled out two letters that had been given to him before he departed Ariel. The first was from his wife:

_Garris, Sorry to have to tell you this myself, but the President was somewhat annoyed that you had been keeping me informed on developments regarding the VINDICATOR. He informally asked you – as a friend - to desist from doing so and to confine your reports in future to the Chain of Command. _

_I have to tell you that Secretary of Defense Haise is a person who would not hesitate to relieve you of your command given your attitude towards SERENITY, and that you don't go in for political games. He's probably regally pissed at my being married to you as well, but as he can't assail my position, he can certainly assail yours. So please be careful._

_I will tell you that given the conclusion that Reavers were behind the attack on VINDICATOR, the defense appropriations bill looks to pass by a landslide. Provisions to build fifty additional battlestars over the next ten years are included. You know what that means…_

_Take care, my love. I hope to see you soon. Sophia._

Cain grimaced at the veiled threat from the President. He suspected that if his wife wasn't present with the President and Secretary Haise, he would have already been relieved of command. Still, fifty battlestars on top of the others already built and being built was a great boon. He then turned to the next letter:

_Admiral Cain, I'm glad that you set up this secure means for us to communicate. I have to inform you that Blue Sun has been building peregrine gunships without your knowledge. I saw four completed in Hangar 19 after getting an anonymous tip-off. _

_I had been rather suspicious at the co-incidence of technologies Blue Sun was using in their building the Kestrel scout, but thought at first that it was a logical progression from what was already in the raptor. However, seeing them with peregrines now makes a lot more sense in that regard._

_There have also been rumors regarding some kind of automaton being developed elsewhere by Blue Sun. While these rumors are few and uncertain, it describes something eerily close to descriptions of Cylon Centurions. I may be paranoid, but after seeing those peregrines, I'm not so sure that I am being far-fetched._

_The Mark 8 Viper design team that I'm involved with are making great strides in this next generation fighter, so at least in this regard, Blue Sun are doing a magnificent job, but with their unauthorized peregrine builds, plus the automaton rumors, I'm a little bit worried at my employers ulterior motives. _

_The possibility exists that this could be some sort of test to see if I would blow the whistle – fake peregrines and planted rumors – so please be careful as to how you want to approach this. Other rumors I've heard regard how Blue Sun treats disloyalty… and I believe them. For that reason, I'm not saying anything to Coffin at this time. However – Gods forbid – anything happens to me, at least you know why. Hondo._

Cain put away the letters and thought for a bit. How Blue Sun got the technical specs to build the peregrine was beside the point. It could be nothing more than a head-start on getting them built as Cain did have every intention of giving them the contract to build them, but these rumors about automatons were something else again.

Cain was not surprised that Blue Sun would want to profit as much as possible from the naval buildup of Colonial-based hardware, but Cain also knew that the naval buildup also depended upon popular support. Justifying it simply on a possibility of Cylon attack would not be quite enough to convince the populace, but for something real, and that something attacking the navy in such a gruesome way would certainly make the populace want to have the Navy reinforced.

He thought about how the attack could have been possible: program the on-board computers to shut down if the ship's sensors detected anything that resembled the profile of Reaver ships. Reavers would certainly not miss the chance to ransack a derelict. The Reaver ship would latch onto the transport and push the ship with their own engines to a remote place that they could then pump in gas to immobilize the troops, then enter the ship and butcher the unconscious occupants. They wouldn't be able to use the Alliance weapons because of the fail-safe lockouts, but their killing members of the Alliance Navy would have a lot of appeal to them.

Cain knew that the computers on the VINDICATOR had been wiped of all data, and the log removed. The wiping could have been automatically programmed, but the log was a little more difficult to explain. As the log was kept on a separate stand-alone computer system, it could not be wiped from the main computers, but the fact that the log had been removed didn't make sense to his theory. Reavers don't read logs, so they would have no need to do so, unless…

Cain picked up his communicator. He punched in the code for Life Station.

"Doctor Chang", the voice on the other end of the line said.

"This is Admiral Cain, Doctor", Cain replied.

"Yes, Admiral", Chang acknowledged, "How can I help you?"

"Did you manage to account for all of the crew and passengers on the VINDICATOR?" Cain asked.

"Given how cut up and mutilated that they were, Admiral", Chang responded, "It was rather difficult for us to do so. Identification has proved impossible for several as their remains had acid thrown on them".

"So you can't swear that you have everyone then, Doctor?" Cain asked, trying not to think about the acid.

"I am afraid not, Admiral", Chang confirmed, "but Reavers have been known to take prisoners with them for probable further torture at their pleasure".

"Thank you, Doctor", Cain said, terminating the connection.

Next, he contacted the officer who was in charge of running a manifest of the VINDICATOR's contents.

"Lieutenant", he asked, "Did you find any discrepancies in supplies and the T.O. & E manifest of the VINDICATOR?"

"Yes, Admiral", the officer replied, "The Reavers did take a number of items such as foodstuffs and some portable equipment – mainly tools and spare parts".

"What about space suits?" Cain asked.

"It's interesting that you should ask that, Admiral", the officer responded, "There are two suits and two emergency thruster packs missing. Reavers don't normally go for such items, though it's not unprecedented".

"Thank you, Lieutenant", Cain said. He put down the mike.

With the VINDICATOR's computers wiped, he could only conjecture, but he suspected that one or two of the crew had seen the Reaver ship, did the command to kill the weapons and power, and used gas themselves on the rest of the occupants. After removing the log, they then would have taken the suits and thruster packs, egressed through the airlock, and then they would thrust themselves away from the VINDICATOR. They would be at a safe distance watching the Reaver ship investigate, then lock onto the VINDICATOR and take it away to the Antilles Debris Field for looting. After a safe period of time, the saboteurs would send out a signal to a nearby ship and would then be picked up.

"Could Blue Sun really be that callous in wanting to profit from a military buildup?" he asked himself. He did wonder about the Reaver ship being so far in Alliance space, but suspected that it may not have been too hard to send a message telling them where a fat juicy derelict ship would be waiting…

If his hypothesis was true, then Blue Sun was really defining the term "ends justify the means". Cain wanted the battlestar buildup, but for reasons regarding potential Cylon incursions. This attack on the Reaver ship looked to him like a set-up, designed to sway opinion to cement the Battlestar building program. How should he go about this?

Blue Sun was extremely well-connected in Parliament, and could unseat his wife if they thought that she was going to be a threat. In addition, his suspicions were just that: suspicions. If he started voicing them without solid proof, then he would end up having a very short tenure in the Alliance Navy, and could also threaten the other colonials. In any case, if he was successful, he would have just killed any chances of getting the battlestars constructed. He thought about it for a while, and then he picked up his communicator again.

"Connect me with the PEGASUS, please", Cain said to the Communications officer. In a few seconds, he was talking with Geoff Tolen.

**BATTLESTAR PEGASUS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"Yes, Admiral", Commandant Tolen said into his microphone, "How can I help you".

"You received the orders I got from Admiral Hendrix?" he heard Cain ask.

"Yes, Admiral", Tolen confirmed, "Silver Spar Wing is starting its sweep of the debris field".

"I'd like you to get a raptor readied and to send it to Salisbury as soon as possible", Cain said next, "I've decided to give the peregrine contract to Blue Sun, so make sure that the technical specifications are loaded into the raptor. The officer going with the raptor will have full proxy power to sign the contract".

"Yes, Admiral", Tolen said.

"Also, whoever is piloting the raptor, if he could give a verbal message from me to Hondo: Hope that your new job is fulfilling your expectations? Keep up the good work". Make sure it's worded precisely that way".

"Will do, Admiral", Tolen replied.

"Oh, and let your X.O. know that the Admiralty is giving him command of the Battlestar AUSTRALIA when she's commissioned. I was going to tell him myself, but you can have the pleasure of doing it. The formal orders appointing him to the command will be in his hands in a couple of days".

"I certainly will, Admiral", Tolen acknowledged. He knew that Brinkman would be overjoyed at the news and that meant him buying free drinks at the O-Club later on this evening…

"Convey my congratulations to Mr. Brinkman, and apologize on my behalf for my not being able to be over there to celebrate his promotion", Cain added.

"Yes, Admiral", Tolen said.

"Then I won't keep you, Commandant", Cain concluded, "AMERICA out".

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – FLAG QUARTERS**

Cain put down his mike and smiled. The message to Hondo was a code for 'YOUR MESSAGE ACKNOWLEDGED. DO NOTHING AT CURRENT TIME'. He wanted to see just how quickly Blue Sun would 'build' the peregrines. Plus, his granting the contract at this time would allay any suspicions from them about his suspicions…


	43. Chapter 43

**CHAPTER FORTY-THREE**

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION HEADQUARTERS – DIRECTOR'S OFFICE**

Balthazar Iblis was pleased. Getting the peregrine contract – even though several had already been built in secret - on top of the passing of the Battlestar Construction Expansion Act in Parliament meant that his plan had worked beyond expectation.

He leaned back in his office chair and thought to himself how well things had slipped into place. It was so easy for a stealth-raptor – again, thanks to the Colonials – to sneak up onto a Reaver ship, then for his agents to gas the occupants into unconsciousness so that they could alter the course of the ship so that it would encounter the VINDICATOR. Of course the agents who boarded the Reaver ship had to have had strong stomachs for the job given what they had seen inside, but they were well paid and the pay-off to Blue Sun itself would be tremendous!

With the Reaver ship heading deep into Alliance Space – again, designed to look like an aggressive Reaver incursion – it would have been encountered by the VINDICATOR who's two Blue Sun agents on board there would have gassed their crew after the weapons and power systems went down, courtesy of reprogramming on the primary computer done at the last overhaul which would activate the shutdown routines when their sensors detected the special beacon – planted by the Reaver ship agents – was detected.

A similar beacon hidden on the VINDICATOR then sent out a pulse that pumped the antidote to the knockout gas on the Reaver Ship. After that, the Reavers did what was expected: grab the VINDICATOR, take it away for looting, and horribly kill the unconscious crew. Of course, well before they docked, the two agents had long gone, carrying with them the ship's log. They had been picked up by a Blue Sun transport, and were likewise enjoying their pay at their leaving the VINDICATOR crew to the Reavers' tender mercies…

Iblis shrugged at the last bit. Unpleasant, but given that the Alliance would go all out to destroy the Reavers after what they did, it means that the Reaver menace would be quickly eliminated once the extra battlestars came on line – which, of course would be crammed with vipers, raptors, peregrines, and kestrels , courtesy of Blue Sun.

"C'est La Vie", Iblis said to himself, raising his glass in a toast to the success of his mission…

**PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON HEADQUARTERS - SERENITY FREIGHTWAYS HEADQUARTERS**

"Sir", Zoe said, "Don't get me wrong, but I think that your being wealthy now isn't really pleasing you".

"It's not pleasing you too much either, Zoe", Mal replied, "Sure, with the addition of TRANQUILITY and DESTINY to our shipping concern, our contract with the Colonials for fuel haulage is secure and paying off well, but I kinda miss the old independence of just us hauling what we could, when we could, on SERENITY".

"So do I, Sir", Zoe replied, "but remember we barely managed to eke out a living doing that. Also when the Tam's were on the fugitive list, that didn't make things any easier, I may add. Here, we're on easy street with a nice chunk of money gaining interest in the bank".

"I know, that's why Jayne has been making full use of his share", Mal said with a slight smile.

"Simon's being busy with his share getting his medical clinic set up. Thanks to Admiral Cain, his license to practice medicine has been restored and he's working well with the former PEGASUS doctor whom he's gone into partnership with", Zoe added.

"River wants to stay with us piloting SERENITY", Mal said, "She's a natural pilot, but as a result of our windfall, there won't be much piloting for her to do – apart from the occasional antique collection run to Earth every so often".

"Then perhaps I can alleviate that", a voice said from the doorway. Both Mal and Zoe turned to see that Ginnie Annan had just entered.

"Hey, Ginnie", Zoe said as she hugged her, "How's civilian life treating you?"

"It's been an adjustment, but being a dedicated archivist keeps me busy", Ginnie replied, "Kaylee told me where I could find you. I may have something for you".

"Admiral Cain?" Mal asked. Ginnie nodded.

"I send interesting tidbits to him from time to time from the archives", Ginnie said, "and since he's not too far away – on the Battlestar AMERICA as a matter of fact – hunting down Reavers with the PEGASUS assisting – it enabled him to send me this note directly".

With that, Ginnie passed Mal the message from Admiral Cain. It read:

_Captain Reynolds. While I'm taking a break from Reaver hunting season, I wanted to know if you're still willing to do the occasional job for me. Given our discovery on Earth's moon on that first trip regarding the 150,000 year difference between GALACTICA making it to Earth and PEGASUS making it to the Alliance, the question still begs: did the PEGASUS jump forward in time, or did the GALACTICA jump back in time?_

_The black box contains the flight data of the GALACTICA's journey. The final jump that was made to Earth came from a planet that was also called Earth, but was uninhabitable due to the aftermath of a nuclear war. That final jump is the question mark given the extensive damage inflicted on GALACTICA, as well as other reports of some damage from the other ships._

_What I would like SERENITY to do – if you agree of course – is to go back to Earth, and to make the jump from there to the first Earth, using coordinates from the GALACTICA log. Ginnie Wise would be with you and she would be able to make readings on the planet's level of radioactivity and compare it with GALACTICA's information. If the radiation level has deteriorated to habitable levels, then we'll know that the PEGASUS jumped forward in time. If it's still the same, then the GALACTICA and her fleet will have jumped back. _

_Needless to say, this information must not go beyond me, you, Ginnie Annan, and the other members of your crew. There is a chance that there could be a Cylon presence, and for that reason, I'll ensure that a raptor is put at your disposal. PEST has already completed its initial survey of Earth and has returned. They will be returning to Earth in Three weeks to start establishing an automatic monitoring station in orbit around the planet, so if this is to be kept secret, the trip will need to be done before then. If you are willing, then please let Ginnie know so that she can get back in touch with me. _

_Apart from that, I trust that you are all doing well. Looking forward to your answer. Garris Cain._

Mal thought about what Cain was offering. Cain paid well, he knew, so this would not be a problem on the financial level. It did however mean that SERENITY would be going from the Earth-That-Was' version of a 'tramp steamer' – albeit with a fat contract – to an exploration vessel. SERENITY would be going way-way out of their charted space, but despite the distance from home, it did sound quite inviting.

"What do you think, Zoe?" Mal asked her as he passed to her the message, "You think you can be an intrepid explorer?"

Zoe read the note and smiled. This might be just the break from the relaxing stagnation of living the good life…

"Tell Admiral Cain that we can be ready to go in three days. Better get your gear packed, Ginnie", Mal said.

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"Admiral on the Bridge", Glen Sanders called. The people in CIC went to attention. Cain waved them back to their assignments.

"Commandant", Cain said to Ruger, "I've been called to Londinium to testify in-camera to the Parliamentary Committee on Military Affairs to talk about the Reaver-hunt. I'm going to need a raptor".

"We'll get one ready for you, Admiral", Ruger replied.

"You'll be assuming command of the Task Force while I'm absent, but you'd better get your Comms officer ready to fill Sanders' shoes", Cain said. He then turned to Glen.

"Commandant Sanders", Cain formally said, "You're to proceed with me to Londinium in order to catch transport to Sihnon. The EURASIA has been completed and is awaiting its new commander for its shakedown cruise and commissioning, after which you'll take her out to Salisbury to collect your viper and raptor complement, and then join up with us. Congratulations".

As Cain shook Glen Sanders' hand, the people in CIC applauded the latest battlestar commander to the ranks of the Alliance Navy. Ruger came forward.

"Congratulations on your new command, Glen", Ruger said as he shook his former X.O.'s hand, "I hope you won't be leaving immediately", he added looking at Cain.

"Three hours should be satisfactory", Cain said, guessing the meaning, "Better call up your Comms for a little ceremony".

"Good", Ruger said, "Major Xiang!" he called. The Comms officer of the AMERICA stepped up.

"You're now officially the Executive Officer of the AMERICA, Congratulations, Vice-Commandant Xiang", Cain announced.

With that, Cain handed him a box containing his new rank insignia. Cain also passed to Glen a box holding his.

"Mr. Xiang", Cain said, "With the commandant's permission, you have CIC. The new Commandant, your Commandant, and I have a little tradition to go through". Ruger nodded his consent.

"Yes, Admiral", Xiang acknowledged.

With that, Cain, Glen Sanders, and Ruger left CIC to head for the Officer's Club.

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – OFFICER'S CLUB**

"Hey, Bro", Tom Sanders said as his brother walked in with Cain and Ruger.

"What are you doing in here, Tom?" Glen asked, "I thought that you'd be out in a viper leading your strike wing zapping Reavers".

"Are you kidding? Do you think I'd miss out on my big brother's command celebration?" Tom replied, "Admiral Cain wanted me to be here, and he outranks you still, Glen".

"One of these days, I'm going to get a salute out of you, Little Bro", Glen replied mock-seriously.

"Maybe after we've had enough to drink, I'll be drunk enough to do one and then forget about it. Remember, 'Commandant': your promotion means you're buying!"

**PLANET SALISBURY - BLUE SUN CORPORATION ASTRONAUTICS DIVISION **

Walter Hunter whistled at the gleaming row of sixty viper mark 7's, twenty viper mark 2's, and ten raptors – two of them of the stealth type - sitting in the disbursement hangar. Blue Sun was readying them for transfer to the EURASIA when she made it out to here after her commissioning back on Sihnon.

Walter had wondered why there were Mark 2 vipers and additional raptors in the complement, then he was told that the recently decommissioned heavy cruiser DOMINION – which was now being established as a super-sentinel post on the outskirts of the Red Sun System – would be taking on the Mark 2's and four raptors.

He nodded at the good use that the Alliance Navy was putting the former cruisers to. Most of their expense came from their uneconomical – by Colonial standards – power drives. Those drives had been removed from the cruisers upon decommissioning and the space used as a huge landing bay. No gunships were docked beneath the former cruisers anymore; there was in their place a huge sensor array which would be able to sweep a large sector of space. Once the newly converted super-sentinel posts were towed to their new locations, there they would remain to monitor and patrol their local space.

He stole a glance at Hangar 19, wondering when the peregrines there will be released to the Alliance Navy. It couldn't be too soon, or else Blue Sun would be facing questions as to how they could have been built so quickly after the contract to build them had been signed.

"Comms is going to love seeing all of these beauties at his disposal, Hondo", Calvin Sims said.

"Well, I can understand that, though his CAG will be having direct control of them", Walter replied.

"If you'd not taken Blue Sun up on the offer, you may have been CAG yourself", Calvin pointed out.

"Hey, being a test pilot has its perks, Coffin", Walter shot back, "as you well know. You've really gotten into the kestrel project".

"Hey, a kestrel may not be a peregrine, but it's certainly a step up from the raptor. Kind of like the Viper Mark 8 that you've been working on", Calvin responded.

"Well, the Mark 8 is still on the drawing board, Coffin", Walter said, "and the Kestrel will soon be ready to fly. As to when Blue Sun gets the peregrines going…." He paused, hoping he didn't let on too much.

"The way Blue Sun builds things, they'll have the peregrines out pretty frakking fast", Calvin opined.

"You don't know how fast", Walter thought to himself. He wondered what Admiral Cain would be doing about the information he had sent. He didn't expect the formal contract to be signed so quickly, but he also knew that Admiral Cain would not have done so without thinking about all angles…

**PLANET LONDINIUM – SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT'S OFFICE**

After hugging and kissing his wife, Cain said down. Sophia closed the door and left a note to her aide not to be disturbed. Next, she switched on a box that emitted a very low, erratic buzz.

"A little device that makes hidden microphones and other spy equipment inoperative", she explained, "It's good to see you again, my husband".

"Me too, Sophia", Cain replied, "And thank you for that excuse for me to come on back to Londinium".

"Well, when I got your reply to my message with that hidden addendum that meant you wanted to speak to me personally, I couldn't refuse", Sophia replied, "So just what did you want to speak to me about?"

"Given the President's 'request' that I don't talk to you directly about naval matters, what I'm going to say is going to be bending the rule some, but I think you need to know my suspicions as to the VINDICATOR affair", Cain said.

"I'm listening, Garris", Sophia said quietly.

Sophia listened as Cain explained his theory as to how the VINDICATOR had been captured by Reavers so far into Alliance Space. Cain noticed that Sophia's face did not show any skepticism, which was a good sign. At last he finished.

"I can see you're rather torn about this", Sophia said, "after all, fifty more fully-equipped battlestars have been approved and there is at last a concerted effort to eliminate the Reaver menace, but the means to enable all of this – if what you think is true – is indeed a very nasty piece of business on Blue Sun's part".

"So what do you think can be done about it, my wife?" Cain asked.

"Blue Sun is too much of a power behind the members of Parliament", Sophia replied, "Very few MP's – and hardly any of the cabinet for that matter – aren't beholden to Blue Sun in some manner. Balthazar Iblis and his Board of Directors wield a lot more power than the President and his cabinet. You know, Blue Sun tried to approach me more than once, but I managed to convince them that independence of the Speaker would be better received should another scandal ever break out".

"Given that you are next in line to the Presidency after the Vice-President, that's a heck of a risk that Blue Sun is running", Cain pointed out.

"Politics is always a game with a heck of a lot of risk, Garris", Sophia replied, "I've lost a number of battles in parliament against Blue Sun-sponsored bills and resolutions. If I openly oppose them, I could conceivably be ditched in a vote of no confidence".

"So you think it's best to do nothing", Cain asked.

"At the moment: yes. But remember that Blue Sun can trip up as well. It's a matter of finding out when it happens", Sophia replied.

Cain thought about mentioning the pre-contract unauthorized building of the peregrines and the possibility of Cylons being made, but without solid evidence, he thought better of it.

"All right, my wife", Cain acceded, "For the moment, it looks like that's the best course of action. So anyway, how long is my 'testimony' to the 'committee' supposed to last?"

"Oh, at least until tomorrow, Garris", Sophia said with a knowing smile and a wink. Garris smiled.

"Then I'd better head back to the apartment and compose my 'testimony', my wife", Cain said as he stood.

He hugged and kissed his wife, then left the office. Sophia waited for a few minutes, then picked up her phone.

"Well?" the voice on the other side of the line asked.

"He suspected correctly, but I convinced him that nothing could be done and that the Navy stood to benefit the most", she said quietly.

"Excellent", the voice on the other end said, "It is all for the best. You still get to stay Speaker and your husband still gets to keep his command. Let's just keep things like that and everything will be all right".

Sophia heard the connection break at the other end. Hanging up the phone, she swiveled her chair towards the window and silently cried.

"Oh Garris", she said softly at last, "Please don't dig any further. It isn't worth the price we would both end up paying…"


	44. Chapter 44

**CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR**

**ADMIRALTY SPACEPORT – PLANET ARIEL – WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

"I just received word from Commandant Sanders, Garris", Admiral Hendrix said after shaking Cain's hand, "He reported that the shakedown cruise of the Battlestar EURASIA is proceeding smoothly, and that the commissioning ceremony will be on time".

"That is good news, Admiral", Cain replied, "When the EURASIA joins up with the AMERICA and the PEGASUS, it will speed up our anti-Reaver operations".

"So how did your testimony go?" Hendrix asked next, referring to the ostensive reason that Cain had gone to Londinium.

"They wanted to get conformation from the horse's mouth as to how efficiently the battlestars were doing their job", Cain glibly replied, not wanting to lie to his overall commander, but realizing that there was the possibility that Blue Sun had ears at the Admiralty.

"So any ideas as to why the Reavers didn't leave booby-traps on the VINDICATOR?" Hendrix asked next.

"I can only guess that they were tipped off by other Reavers when the AMERICA and PEGASUS started to head into the area", Cain replied, "Taking the VINDICATOR to Antilles was a smart move on their part. Who would think of looking through a debris field? It was a stroke of luck that we found her", he concluded with a straight face.

Hendrix looked keenly at Cain for a few seconds, and then asked, "You piloted the raptor yourself?"

"Yes, I did", Cain replied, "I like to keep my hand in".

"Raptors are okay, but as you're a flag officer, I cannot permit you to take a viper out on any combat mission. Understood?" Hendrix ordered.

"Understood, Admiral Killjoy", Cain replied with a mock pout. Hendrix chuckled.

"As it happens", Hendrix said next, "My schedule is pretty free for the rest of the day, and I want to take you up on that offer of yours to have me try flying the raptor. You do have a spare flight suit?"

Cain's expression didn't change a jot. He didn't make any such offer to Admiral Hendrix, but he got the meaning of his request.

"Yes I do, Admiral. At your convenience", Cain replied.

"Then let's get going before Lutjens and my aide try to talk me out of such an escapade", Hendrix said.

"If they object, just invoke R.H.I.P.", Cain replied as he stood. Ruger nodded and chuckled. Rank Hath It's Privileges…

**CAIN'S RAPTOR – SOMEWHERE IN THE WHITE SUN SYSTEM – ONE HOUR LATER**

With a flash, the raptor reappeared in normal space after its F-T-L jump. Cain quickly checked his DRADIS and LIDAR arrays.

"Not a single contact anywhere nearby, Admiral", Cain said. Hendrix nodded, and then he took out a similar anti-eavesdropping device that Sophia had used in her office earlier.

"Good, then shut down the engines and let's drift for a bit", Hendrix 'suggested'. Cain turned the sub-light drive to 'idle', then nodded to Hendrix.

Hendrix pulled out a flask and two shot glasses from his tote-bag. Handing one glass to Cain, Hendrix poured a clear liquid into it, then he filled up his own glass.

"A little drink from Earth-That-Was called Vodka", Hendrix explained, "Here's to the navy and all of the good things that it stands for".

"So say we all", Cain said, then swallowed in one gulp his shot of vodka.

Cain's eyes watered at the impact of the raw spirit. Hendrix chuckled at his reaction, then downed his shot.

"Awful stuff, I know, but it makes good anti-freeze", Hendrix said conversationally.

"That's for sure", Cain gasped.

"Anyway, to business. I asked for this ride, Garris, because out here, there are no hidden ears nearby and any recording devices stashed on board this raptor will have been rendered inert by this little device", Hendrix said, pointing to the anti-eavesdropping device.

"I suspected you wanted a confidential chat when you asked me to take you up on your 'offer', Admiral", Cain replied, "and this place seems to be as confidential as you can get".

"That's for sure", Hendrix confirmed, "The major conglomerates have their moles and spies everywhere. Blue Sun – as the biggest – has the most".

"I take it that Blue Sun is the reason we're talking here", Cain surmised. Hendrix nodded.

"Like you, I don't like politics and I want the navy free of it so we can do our jobs dispassionately", Hendrix started, "but Blue Sun has been calling the shots in regards to the Battlestar program, and their motivation has nothing to do with what's best for the Alliance, but what's best for them: profit".

"So you think that the VINDICATOR tragedy was a set-up by Blue Sun?" Cain asked.

"Not think, Garris", Hendrix replied, "I know".

"When?" Cain replied, "You weren't part of that, surely?"

"I wasn't involved, Garris. You have my word on that", Hendrix replied, "I only found out about it yesterday, when my deputy Admiral Lutjens delivered to me a personal message from Balthazar Iblis".

"Iblis", Cain sighed, "He makes great raptors and vipers, but when I found out he jump-started building the peregrines before the contract was signed, it made me really wonder about him".

"How did you know about that?" Hendrix asked, "I didn't know he had already started building them".

"Built", Cain corrected. "Four at least before the contract was signed. I had allowed the contract to go ahead so that it would not arouse suspicion, plus it ensured that the peregrines built there went straight to the navy and not some other 'customers'".

Hendrix nodded. A peregrine in unfriendly hands would be a formidable foe. Hendrix took another shot of vodka, and then he spoke again.

"Blue Sun got to your wife, Garris". Hendrix said quietly. Cain's expression turned pale.

"Sophia is a person of integrity, and she has been for so long a thorn in Blue Sun's side", Hendrix explained, "but when they found out – courtesy of the President and his Secretary of Defense – that you had been keeping her informed as to your suspicions regarding the VINDICATOR, they had a weapon that they could use against her".

"Threatening her with my removal from command, no doubt", Cain surmised.

"Also with having her removed in a no-confidence vote", Hendrix added, "Their knowing that your supplying her with military information is all the excuse that they would need to do so".

"Bastards", Cain growled, "And what really hurts is that the battlestars are needed. Them, plus the conversion of the old cruisers to Sentinel posts makes this part of space secure".

"Win-Win, you might say, though it kind of sticks in my throat to admit it", Hendrix said.

"You're taking one heck of a risk telling me about all this, Bart", Cain said, using his superior's nickname for the first time, "Why?"

"I saw a kindred spirit in you from the day we first met, Garris", Hendrix confided, "You and I believe in honest ideals, and you and I despise dirty politicking. I'm in a high position, thanks to the Miranda exposé, but don't doubt for a second that Lutjens wants to unseat me and take over the Navy. Blue Sun's Admiralty-mole-in-charge".

"And you can't remove him, right?" Cain asked.

"He's protected by Secretary Haise. Thanks to Sophia, my position has been secure, but your well-meaning move to keep Sophia informed may have compromised that some".

"I'm sorry, Bart", Cain replied, "That was never my intention".

"Funnily enough, I think President Starkey wants to get out from under Blue Sun's thumb, which is why he issued the warning rather than let Haise relieve you of command", Hendrix said, "and I don't want you to be relieved. You're the best flag officer in the field I've got and I need you there".

"Being there - as you say – at the sufferance of Blue Sun is not going to sit well with me, Bart", Cain said slowly.

"As long as I'm the Chief of Naval Staff, you are safe", Hendrix said, "but don't do anything rash that may force me to take action".

"That's a tall order, Bart", Cain said.

"It is tall, and it is an order, Garris", Hendrix replied, "It is also a request from a friend. We haven't known each other for all that long, but you've been a better friend than a lot of other colleagues in uniform".

"I appreciate that, Bart", Cain responded, "but I still look forward to the day when Balthazar Iblis answers for his excesses".

"I'm toasting that day, Garris", Hendrix said as he filled his shot glass up with more vodka. Cain had Hendrix fill his glass, and then they toasted.

"To the downfall of that son-of-a-bitch, Balthazar Iblis. May the souls of those lost on the VINDICATOR because of him finally find peace".

"So say we all", Cain replied with feeling.

**BATTLESTAR EURASIA – PLANET SIHNON ORBITAL DOCKS – WHITE SUN SYSTEM - THREE DAYS LATER**

"Now that the formalities are over regarding commissioning", Commandant Glen Sanders said, "We can now get her moving to Salisbury. We have a strike wing to pick up"

"It is indeed fortunate that the shakedown revealed nothing major we needed to remain in dock for", Glen's X.O. – Vice-Commandant Chun Du-Huan commented, "Chief Engineer Scott has assured me that all of the minor faults found will be remedied by the time we take up station with the AMERICA and the PEGASUS".

"Then let's inform dock control of our departure and get going. The sooner we pick up our strike wing, deliver the additional ships to the DOMINION, and get the pilots waiting for us at Miranda, the sooner we can join up with the AMERICA", Glen said.

"I can't argue with that, Commandant", Captain Henry 'Blackbeard' Morgan said, "Then that means I'll have a job".

"Both Ice and Rogue thought very highly of you at V.T.T., CAG", so I expect good things from your wing", Glen said, "I do like the name you chose for the wing, by the way. 'Angry Angels' sounds pretty appropriate".

"Thanks, Commandant", Morgan replied, "My squadron commanders liked the sound of it to. I guess they had to since I outrank them".

Both Glen and Chun chuckled at Morgan's comment. Glen sympathized with Morgan's lack of employment at the moment; without a strike wing, the EURASIA would be a rather easier target for any enemy to attack with, though unlike the AMERICA and PEGASUS, EURASIA's defensive batteries were energy weapons – high-intensity laser and particle beam pulsar cannons. Those weapons proved their worth during the shakedown when they easily destroyed several target drones.

"X.O.", the Core Command officer reported, "Dock Control have given us our clearance for departure".

"Let's get CAG and his squadron commanders his planes, X.O.", Glen ordered as he sat back in HIS command chair to see his first command do the initial phase of the first operational mission of the EURASIA…

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – DEPARTING MIRANDA.**

SEREINTY quickly departed Miranda orbit. Ginnie's husband Frank Wise was accompanying them as the pilot of the raptor stowed in the hold. Wise had also loaded up additional missiles just in case…

"Why did you keep your last name, Ginnie?" Inara had asked before departure. She was remaining behind with her shuttle on Miranda.

"Frank gave me the option and I decided to keep it for a while", Ginnie replied, "He's cool with it, and that's one of the reasons I love him so much".

Now in space, heading away from Miranda, SERENITY was embarking on its exploration mission for Admiral Cain. Mal and Zoe felt good to be going out in the Black again, and Jayne wanted to see if there were any more goodies they could grab from Earth-That-Was on the return leg.

"You think that there may be Cylons at this – what did you call it? – Earth-Thirteen?" Mal asked Ginnie. Both were on the flight deck as River Tam piloted SERENITY.

"No way of knowing, Captain", Ginnie replied, "but it's best to be careful. Just before you make the jump from Earth-That-Was to Earth Thirteen, my husband and I will be in the raptor with the systems activated. If anything happens and you can't jump back, then you blow the hatch and we'll start blasting".

"I hope that Doctor Wilkin knows what he's getting himself into, coming along with Simon", Mal said next.

"He does", Ginnie replied, "He was the PEGASUS' expert on Cylon anatomy. He's the best choice to determine if anything is Cylon when we jump into Earth Thirteen's system.

"Two Earths", Zoe commented, "That's a little bit hard to get used to".

"According to the GALACTICA log, that Earth was the one supposedly settled by the Thirteenth Tribe from Kobol, and was found out by the GALACTICA to have been a form of Cylon. No determination as to why that planet had been devastated in a nuclear war, but at least that war will enable us to precisely date things", Ginnie explained.

"Do you think it will make any difference once it's determined which group time-traveled?" Zoe asked next.

"It GALACTICA made the time-jump back, that means that the HYPERION task force is out there somewhere and we can find them and bring them here to Alliance Space. The same for the CEREBRUS and the TRINITY", Ginnie explained, "and that will of course strengthen our justification for the Alliance's battlestar building program", Ginnie replied.

"And if it turns out that it was the PEGASUS that jumped forward?" Zoe asked next.

"Then we use the GALACTICA log to track back to the Colonies and find out what had happened in that one-hundred-and-fifty-millennia time span", Ginnie replied.

"The Cylons may have advanced so far in that time, going there would invite trouble for the Alliance", Mal pointed out.

"Or they could have died out themselves, if what GALACTICA found on Earth Thirteen is any indication", Ginnie responded, "Besides the other Colonial survivors may have found sanctuary on other worlds and flourished, like back at the Alliance. Battlestars are also ideal for deep space exploration, so no loss there if PEGASUS were the time-travelers".

"We're ready for the initial jump to Earth", River announced, "We'd better let Kaylee know so she can get the F-T-L running".

"On the way back", Ginnie said, "There's a place you can go to on Earth-That-Was in order to pick up items that could really make your trip profitable – the Chinese Museum on an island called Taiwan".

"Well, if it all works out, I've got no objection to visiting a museum, and I'm sure that Jayne won't have either", Mal said, "So let's get going to Earth-That-Was, then onto Earth Thirteen".


	45. Chapter 45

**CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE**

**VICINITY OF EARTH-THAT-WAS – SOL SYSTEM**

With a flash, SERENITY exited its F-T-L jump. While River kept the freighter on a steady course, Mal quickly ran a scan of the surrounding space.

"Good, no sign of PEST", Mal stated, "Admiral Cain gave us good intelligence".

"Considering that PEST is yet another example of Blue Sun's reach, I'm not surprised", Ginnie commented.

Admiral Cain had mentioned to Ginnie – in general terms – his distrust of the corporate bigwigs of Blue Sun Corporation. Even though Ginnie knew that Blue Sun were producing excellent copies of vipers and raptors, she had read enough into Admiral Cain's message that any approaches to her by Blue Sun needed to be looked at very carefully.

Ginnie knew that the Planetary Exploration and Survey Trust had been set up by Blue Sun as that corporation had the terra-forming technology that made the Alliance planets possible. So that made PEST not only explorers of future worlds for humanity, it also made them exploiters of these new worlds' resources for Blue Sun's Board of Directors…

"Have you relayed the new co-ordinates to Kaylee for the next jump to Earth-Thirteen?" Mal asked.

"Yes, Captain", Ginnie replied, "Kaylee is ready to activate the drive when you're ready to do so".

"Then we will jump in fifteen minutes", Mal decided, "You'd better get down to the raptor and get yourself and Captain Wise ready just in case we jump into unwelcome company".

"I'm on my way, Captain", Ginnie acknowledged. With that, she left the flight deck.

Down in the cargo bay, Ginnie quickly got into the raptor. Her husband was already suited up and in the cockpit. Ginnie saw her suit on the RSO console, so she quickly got into the suit. After she fastened the helmet and shut the faceplate, she powered up the suit's controls.

"Okay, my husband", she communicated over the suit-to-suit wireless, "I'm all zipped up and my suit's integrity status light shows green".

"Better take your position on the RSO station and get the DRADIS, LIDAR, and weapons platform on line", Grant Wise responded, "I pray that we don't have to use them".

"Me too, Grant", Ginnie said, "I'm strapped in now, so you can let Captain Reynolds know we're all set here".

"Okay, Ginnie", Grant said with a thumbs-up.

Grant keyed his communicator, saying into his mike, "This is Raptor One. We're all squared away down here, SERENITY".

Up on the flight deck, River acknowledged the message with a curt, "Thanks".

"We all set now?" Mal asked in order to confirm the status of the ship.

"All set, Captain", River replied, "We can jump at your discretion".

"Then let's do it, and as soon as we exit the jump, start scanning", Mal said.

Several seconds later, SERENITY vanished from Sol System space. Destination: Earth-Thirteen…

**PLANET SALISBURY – BLUE SUN CORPORATION ASTRONAUTICS DIVISION**

"Well, Hondo", Calvin Sims said, "The ferry pilots are on schedule. The EURASIA CAG is pleased as punch that he's finally getting his strike wing".

"Well, he'll still have to get to Miranda after this to get the bulk of his pilots, Coffin", Walter Hunter replied, "vipers and raptors really don't fly well without pilots, you know…".

"So do you still want to drop on in to the EURASIA and say Hi to Comms?" Calvin asked.

"Yep", Walter replied, "I've got a raptor over there to be delivered with our name on it. Besides, I'd like to see just how well the fleet yards did on building a battlestar and this is an excellent excuse to do so…"

**BATTLESTAR EURASIA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER – ONE HOUR LATER**

"Hondo! Coffin!" Glen Sanders exclaimed as Walter and Calvin entered CIC, "Great to see you two".

"It's good to see you Comms…. uh, Commandant", Walter replied while shaking Glen's outstretched hand, "I couldn't resist the opportunity to see you in command of a battlestar. The folks back at Sihnon Fleet Yards did a great job!"

"Well, from what I've seen and heard, Blue Sun is doing a great job on the vipers and raptors as well. With the new batch of V.T.T. graduate pilots waiting for us on Miranda, The Angry Angels Wing will be ready for action", Glen replied.

"Angry Angels", Calvin repeated, "I like the sound of that".

"I'll make sure that your shuttle waits for you", Glen said, "We're not due to depart Salisbury orbit for at least another hour. CAG wants all vipers squared away in dispersal pattern with all launch tubes loaded before we leave, so I'm obliging him".

"Good precaution", Walter replied, "But without pilots, that may not work out so well in an emergency".

"We already have ten qualified viper pilots and a raptor crew on board the EURASIA", Glen replied, "so we're not totally helpless, and the energy weapons systems for point defense are pretty frakking effective".

"Good to know", Walter replied with a smile, "So until we have to leave, what do you have in mind?"

"X.O.", Glen called to Vice-Commandant Chun, "Take over CIC. I'll be with these gentlemen in the Officer's Club".

"Yes, Commandant", Chun replied.

With that, Glen led his guests out of CIC.

**BATTLESTAR EURASIA – OFFICER'S CLUB**

"So, Hondo", Glen said over his drink, "Blue Sun treating you and Coffin well?"

"Great pay, great bennies, and great perks for test pilots, Glen", Walter replied. Glen allowed them to be informal in the club.

"I heard that soon we'll be getting kestrels to replace the raptors", Glen said. Walter nodded.

"And peregrines as well", Walter added, "and very soon at that too".

Glen caught something in Walter's statement. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"I really can't talk about it here, Glen", Walter quietly replied with a subtle gesture that swept the room, "employer confidentiality and all that. I'm sure you understand".

Sanders nodded, but not because of his statement. The subtle gesture indicated that their conversation may not be just between themselves, and Glen knew of Cain's distrust of Blue Sun's corporate executives, who seemed to have spies everywhere. 'Disagreeably ubiquitous' would be putting it very mildly…

"It really isn't the same, you two no longer spearheading the reconnaissance squadron", Glen said, carefully deflecting the conversation.

"Well, there's times we miss being back on board a battlestar, Glen", Walter replied, "perhaps when our contract with Blue Sun expires, we can sign back up and find a niche on one of the new battlestars".

"Yeah, the new battlestars. After the next seven are completed, another fifty in another five years", Glen replied, "So Blue Sun will be keeping busy pushing out vipers, raptors, peregrines, and kestrels. You'll be gainfully employed for a while, I think".

"A lot of others from the PEGASUS are also otherwise 'gainfully employed'", Walter added, "It's a pity, knowing that there will never be the old PEGASUS crew back together again".

"All things must come to an end, Coffin", Glen replied, "and at least here, we've moved onto other things. I certainly am not unhappy in my current position".

"Command of a battlestar", Walter finished, "It really suits you, Glen".

"Still, I wonder at times if having Admiral Cain and Commandant Tolen on board would make things better. A first command is quite a foreboding experience at times", Glen confessed.

"Trust me, Glen: your months being the Number Three person on the PEGASUS under a time of constant stress and uncertainty gave you the best preparation possible for command. If Admiral Cain thought you couldn't hack it, he'd have relieved you. You'll make a great battlestar commander", Walter said quietly, but earnestly.

Wordlessly, Glen Sanders offered his hand. Walter, then Calvin shook it.

"That means a lot, coming from you", Glen said.

"Hey, with you being the man in charge here, plus the fact that you're buying the drinks, I have to sound respectful and nice", Walter replied with a grin.

Glen laughed. It was good to see friends of his once again.

**NEW PICON SETTLEMENT - PLANET MIRANDA.**

Gene Syke was walking back from the spaceport to his home. After knocking off work, he had called into SERENITY FREIGHTLINES' office to find out where Mal had taken SERENITY.

"They've gone on a little errand for Admiral Cain, Gene", Inara had said, which told him both a lot and next to nothing.

Gene knew that Admiral Cain placed a high level of trust in the crew of SERENITY, and vice versa. If his father-in-law needed them to do an errand, it would be something that no one else had the need-to-know. Thanking Inara, he decided to head home to be with his looking-more-pregnant-by-the-day wife, Tricia.

Gene was walking past the back gate of the refinery complex – the refinery lay between the spaceport and the settlement – when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned.

"Hey!" Gene called out, "What are you doing there?"

The figure that Gene saw lurking by the rear door to the area that Gene knew was part of the secure area housing the catalysts for the tyllium ore started to run.

Gene ran to the security gate and flashed his ID badge at the guard. As Gene now worked at the refinery administrative area as the general manager, he had top security access.

"What's up, Mr. Syke?" the guard asked.

"I saw an intruder by the rear entrance to Area A", Syke replied, "Get a team to sweep the area".

"Yes, Mr. Syke", the guard said, punching a switch on his console that sounded an alarm.

Syke picked up a communicator mike from the guard station and said, "General Manager Syke to Security personnel, I am reporting an intruder alert. All ID tags are to be checked without exception. Initiate intruder search immediately. Find and apprehend".

Not far away, the intruder silently cursed. Damn Syke's keen eyes! He had to get out before he was discovered. Just then, he crouched down behind some barrels as two guards walked up.

"You stay over here and monitor this area, Gramm", the first guard said, "inform me if anything comes up".

"Right, Sarge", Gramm replied.

As the sergeant moved off, the intruder noticed that Gramm's build was quite similar to his, and that the security helmets did cover their faces, concealing their features. Nodding to himself, he made a decision.

Pulling on some blue gloves, he extended a short rod, clicking a switch that extended out projections on each end. A faint hum emitted from it.

Gramm suddenly wondered why he was faint. He reached up to his face, but then pulled his hand away from his mouth. Blood was seeping out. He started to scream and raise his communicator, but just then, a hand came over his bloodied mouth, muffling his death agony as his internal organs burst from the emissions of the intruder's weapon.

The intruder pulled Gramm's corpse behind the barrels, then the intruder stripped Gramm's body of his uniform coverall. He put the coverall on, then the helmet. Taking out a small cloth, he wiped Gramm's blood off the plastic coverall. He then stood up and walked out away from the barrels towards the gatehouse where Syke was standing.

"What can I do for you, Guard Gramm?" Syke asked, getting the name from the coverall's nametag.

"I thought I heard something over beyond those barrels, Mr. Syke", the intruder said, gesturing to the area from which he had walked from, "but when I tried to use my communicator, it didn't work. Neither did my sidearm. I thought it best to come to you".

"Good work, Gramm", Syke said, "You stay here with the gate guard. I'll head over there. Guard", Syke said to the gate guard, "call security and get a couple of armed guards over to where Gramm indicated".

The guard nodded. Syke then headed into the complex. As soon as Syke was out of sight, the intruder took out his weapon.

"What's that you have, Gramm?" the guard asked. That was the last question the guard would ever ask.

As Syke went to the barrels, he saw a pool of blood. As the security team arrived, Syke went around the back of the barrels… to see Gramm's bloody corpse. At the same time, Syke and the guards heard a horrible scream coming from the gate house.

"Move!" Syke ordered as they ran to the security gate. When they got there, there was only the security guard: dead of internal organ rupture…

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – FLAG QUARTERS**

"First the VINDICATOR crew, and now this", Cain said to himself as he read the message from Syke.

Cain had only just returned from Ariel when the confidential message from New Picon arrived. Reading Syke's account of the attempted break-in at the tyllium refinery and the deaths of two guards at the hands of an unknown weapon that liquefied internal organs made him grimace.

"Someone wants the catalyst formula bad enough to kill", Cain said to himself, "and given the type of weapon used, I've got a fair idea who".

Cain dictated a memo to Admiral Hendrix to go with the next courier raptor to Ariel. He wrote:

_Bart, There has been another break-in attempt at the tyllium refinery at New Picon. The break-in was discovered before the catalyst formula could be compromised, but two guards were killed in a horrible way – internal organs turned into liquid slush by some unknown, yet sophisticated weapon. This is only a wild guess, but I've got a nagging feeling that a certain person we both know is trying to get his hands on the catalyst formula for the tyllium fuel._

_Gene Syke – my former CAG who now administers the refinery – is telling me that the security force at the refinery complex has been extremely rattled at the manner of their colleagues' deaths. He is strongly recommending that Alliance Marines may be needed to assume security of the complex, though the thought of their suffering the same fate as the two unfortunate guards does not sit too well with me. _

_Regardless, something needs to be done in order to maintain security in this area. In essence, this may be the only ace that I – and the other colonials for that matter – may have left to ensure our status as assets to the Alliance. I'd like you to have a think about this and to ask you for suggestions. _

_I'm convinced that more people will die if nothing else is done, and given the importance of Tyllium to the F-T-L and our advanced sub-light drives, there could well be a lot more deaths than the thirty on the VINDICATOR if things stay as they are. Garris._

**ADMIRALTY HEADQUARTERS – PLANET ARIEL – WHITE SUN SYSTEM**

Hendrix read Cain's personal memo with a grim expression. The MO of the deaths of the two guards matches that of a weapon in use by Blue Sun: a concentrated – extremely directional - microwave emitter that cooked the internal organs of the ones that the beam was directed against.

"If Blue Sun gets the tyllium formula", Hendrix mused to himself, "then they will have it all. That bastard Iblis is not going to get his hands on it if I can help it".

Hendrix left a message to his aide telling him that he was not to be disturbed. This was going to take some serious thinking…


	46. Chapter 46

**CHAPTER FORTY-SIX**

**FREIGHTER SERENITY - PLANET EARTH-THIRTEEN**

"So this is the original Earth, according to the Kobolians", Grant Wise said.

"Who'd have thought that the thirteenth tribe wasn't human, but Cylon?" Ginnie added, "That discovery by the GALACTICA, plus the radioactivity levels they encountered must have been a shock to them after all they'd been through to get to that point".

Both were up on the flight deck of SERENITY. After they had emerged from their jump from Sol System, River had quickly activated her sensor array. She heard nothing from the planet or its environs, and there was no evidence of any space traffic.

"Quiet as a tomb", Mal said quietly.

River Tam had maneuvered SERENITY into a high orbit, and while he and River were checking out the local orbital space – there was a noticeable lack of orbital debris – Grant and Ginnie were looking at the information from the sensors pointed down at the planet.

"Not the greatest array for looking at worlds", Grant grumbled.

"Well, we are a freighter, not a survey vessel, Captain Wise", Zoe dryly commented, "Our arrays are suited to be alerted to anything in local space that may threaten us".

"Anything to report in that regard?" Grant asked.

"Still nothing", Mal said, "If there were satellites in orbit here, their orbits would have long since decayed. You know, that snippet of information alone seems to support the theory that it was the PEGASUS that jumped forward on time".

"Not necessarily, Captain Reynolds", Ginnie replied, "The GALACTICA log didn't mention anything about satellites either, though it would be hard to imagine any advanced society not having them".

"Then it looks like we'll need to deploy the raptor and use its sensor array in order to get definitive answers", Grant said. Ginnie nodded.

"Okay, then you'd better get back to your raptor and get ready to launch", Mal decided.

**BATTLESTAR EURASIA – IN ORBIT OVER PLANET MIRANDA – BLUE SUN SYSTEM**

As the last shuttle departed from the starboard landing pod, Captain Morgan breathed a sigh of satisfaction. All of his strike wing's squadrons' pilots were on board and were getting settled in.

"So CAG", Lieutenant Deveraux 'Showboat' Cannon – Morgan's deputy – said, "I guess we now have a functioning strike wing at long last".

"Not quite fully functional, Showboat", Morgan admonished, "We've got to get them working as an integral part of the wing as soon as possible and that's the job that you and I have to do.

"I've been thinking about that, Blackbeard", Cannon replied, "If we can get a training rotation going so that while two squadrons join up with Silver Spar and Golden Phoenix wings to continue the Reaver-hunt, the other two squadrons can do some training flights. One of us can rotate going out with either group to oversee things".

"Just so long as the paperwork doesn't pile up", Morgan said dryly, "I heard that when he was Comms on the PEGASUS, Commandant Sanders really kept up with the administrative side of things.

"We've got a good admin staff, Blackbeard", Cannon assured him, "and according to the training records on our new intake of pilots, they trained up pretty well down on Miranda".

"Truly and Higgins are damn good instructors", Morgan said, remembering his viper transition training, "and if they say that our pilots did okay, then we've got the makings of a damn effective strike wing. By the time we come off deployment with the AMERICA and the PEGASUS, we should – I earnestly hope – make the Angry Angels a strike wing that the rest of the navy can respect.

**ANTILLES DEBRIS FIELD - BATTLESTAR AMERICA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"I've received word from the EURASIA that their pilot complement has boarded and that they will be en-route to join up with us within a day", Xiang reported to Ruger as he passed to him a printout.

"When the EURASIA joins up, Admiral Cain wants them to take over the PEGASUS' station while the PEGASUS jumps to the other side of the debris field", Ruger replied as he quickly scanned the printout, "Given the lack of success so far in searching and destroying the Reavers as of late, I guess he wants the PEGASUS to head 'em off at the pass".

"Major Sanders reports that his pilots are doing an exemplary job sweeping the debris field", Xiang added, "but he is a little concerned that the excessive evasive maneuvers that his pilots have to do in order to avoid asteroidal debris is putting undue stress on his wing's vipers".

"Surely he has a rotation set up so that a proper maintenance schedule is maintained", Ruger inquired.

"He does, Commandant", Xiang confirmed, "but given the orders to provide a maximum effort on the sweeps, the maintenance crews are getting rather more than their normal workload".

"From what I heard, it was no worse than what happened on the PEGASUS during its odyssey from the colonies", Ruger countered, "and if – Heaven forbid – the Cylons ever did come to this part of the galaxy, there may not be any time for rest. It's good training and as long as there are no catastrophic breakdowns, we'll continue at this current pace for the time being".

"I'll let CAG know", Xiang acknowledged, "Do you wish me to inform Admiral Cain?"

Just then, the coding officer walked up with a message sheet marked ADMIRAL'S EYES ONLY – COMMANDANT TO PERSONALLY RELAY TO ADMIRAL. Ruger took the message sheet, then said, "Since this has to go to the Admiral, I'll let him know myself. You have CIC, X.O.".

"Yes, Commandant", Xiang acknowledged.

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA –FLAG QUARTERS**

"So Commandant Glen Sanders will be here assisting us within a day", Cain said as he read the message from Miranda, "Great. You'd better let Commandant Tolen know so that when the EURASIA arrives on station, he can get the PEGASUS over to the new co-ordinates".

"Will do, Admiral", Ruger replied, "Will there be anything else?"

"Not at the moment, Hardie", Cain replied, "but once I decode and read what our dear Chief of the Naval Staff has to say, I may have something for you. Until then, we'd best play by the rules", he added, pointing to the text that read ADMIRAL'S EYES ONLY.

"Understood, Admiral", Ruger replied. Snapping an informal salute, Ruger left Cain in his quarters.

Cain noticed that the code being used was the personal one set up between himself and Admiral Hendrix, so that anyone familiar with the standard codes used by the Alliance Navy would not be able to quickly decipher it. In fact, unless the counter-cryptologists had a copy of the same book – and edition – that they both had, it would be well-nigh impossible.

Cain went to his bookshelf and pulled out the book, then – by using the numeric sequences in the printout, started matching page numbers and words to decode the message. It took fifteen minutes. When he finished, the message read:

_Garris, I've got an idea as to securing the integrity of the tyllium. We continue to mine the ore on Miranda, but instead of making the catalysts there as well, we have each of the catalysts made elsewhere, then the catalysts will be shipped by separate Alliance military transport to New Picon for final refining. The locations for the manufacture of the catalysts will be on secure military installations and of course the transports will be armed and escorted. Have a think about it._

_An interesting piece of news is that my sources tell me that Balthazar Iblis is planning on making a surprise visit to the Battlestar AUSTRALIA when she is commissioned and in orbit over Salisbury taking on their strike wing's raptors and vipers. He travels in an armed luxury shuttle with a personal pilot and three bodyguards. Perhaps you'd care to make his acquaintance at the same time. I know that you have a lot of things that you would like to 'chat' to him about. I just thought you'd like to know._

_Finally, the empty bays at the Sihnon Fleet Docks are getting ready to start making the next seven MERCURY-type battlestars. All of your names for them have been fully approved. The ATLANTIA will be the first one constructed and of course the new GALACTICA will be the tail-end ship of the type. From what you told me about Bill Adama, he would have thoroughly approved of this legacy._

_An official communication regarding the new deployment of your task force will be in your hands within a week. Until then, have fun at Antilles on the AMERICA. Sophia sends her love as well. Bartholomew Hendrix._

Cain nodded at the reference to Bill Adama and the GALACTICA. Having the catalysts made elsewhere made good sense too as that meant not all of the eggs were in one basket, and that meant additional security. He made a note to himself to discuss it with his son-in-law Gene later on today.

Cain really did smile at the information regarding Iblis. So the old fart wanted to go on board a battlestar, did he? He thought that Iblis had one hell of a nerve to do so, given his involvement in the Reavers' slaughter of the VINDICATOR crew, but that just meant that Iblis had no conscience to speak of. That reference to his wife meant that she had somehow found out about Iblis' intentions. Good for her, he thought.

Not for the first time, he wondered about the deaths of the VINDICATOR crew and the positive result to the Navy in regards to the battlestar building program. True, he had had to make decisions while commanding the PEGASUS that had resulted in deaths. He had to live with that. Telling himself that the PEGASUS would not have come through if it wasn't for those decisions didn't make him fell all that much better. He really understood what his first instructor had told him at the academy so many years ago in an ethics class:

"Command can be the most loneliest and painful of all tasks", he had been told, "and decisions that you make can and will mean life and death for a few, or for far more than a few. To be a good member of the military, you have to love the military. But to be a good commander, you have to be willing to order the destruction of the thing that you love. One thing I can guarantee you: you'll find out sooner than you may think if you have what it takes to command".

Cain never forgot that lecture. He also never forgot the people who died on the PEGASUS during his command tenure. He wondered if Iblis ever wondered about the people he had killed in order to make his business empire great…

Yes, Cain thought. Perhaps I should take the opportunity to make my acquaintance with Balthazar Iblis when the AUSTRALIA comes a-calling.

**RAPTOR-ONE – IN ORBIT OVER EARTH-THIRTEEN.**

While Grant flew the raptor, Ginnie at the RSO station was starting her scans of Earth-Thirteen's atmosphere and surface with the raptor's LIDAR array.

They had separated from SERENITY a half-hour previously. While SERENITY kept tabs on the local space – and evidently still found nothing, judging from the dearth of reports – the raptor was looking at the surface of the planet and Ginnie was comparing the data from her scans with those from the GALACTICA log.

"Atmospheric levels of background radiation is well within tolerances", Ginnie remarked, "and there is nothing toxic I'm picking up from the surface, apart from a couple of volcanoes in the southern hemisphere. There's a large flora of various kinds, but not being a botanist, I can't tell if they are natural or mutated. Oceans show no pollution levels and there does seem to be sea life of some kind. A good candidate for colonization".

"Any sign of cities or other artifacts?" Grant asked next.

"Not so far, Grant", Ginnie replied, "A hundred and fifty thousand years would easily overwhelm artificial constructions. Plus, there is evidence of an ice age that had occurred approximately twenty-thousand years ago, and that would certainly erase anything artificial".

"Assuming that this is indeed Earth-Thirteen encountered by the GALACTICA", Grant stated, "It may not be the same planet".

Ginnie nodded. Ice Ages do change coastlines and alter other natural features. Then of course, Grant could be right…. Just then, she saw something.

"I'm looking at the equator area, Grant", Ginnie said, "I'm picking up traces of processed metals and set patterns over a large area near a harbor… It appears to be the remnants of a city!"

"How old?" Grant asked.

"Given that it's mostly buried and that the LIDAR shows barely anything above ground, it's certainly very old, but we'd have to land in order to get core samplings".

"Atmosphere breathable, right?" Grant asked.

"Perfectly safe, according to the data", Ginnie replied, "gravity at point nine standard".

"Punch in the co-ordinates for that city, Ginnie", Grant said, "I'm taking her down".

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – FLIGHT DECK**

"So they're taking the raptor down for soil samples", Mal said to Zoe. Grant had just communicated his intentions to SERENITY.

"I would have been surprised had they not made a landing, Sir", Zoe replied, "like we learned during the war: there's no substitute for the good old eyeballs regardless of how good your equipment is".

"They'll find their answer", River said quietly while gazing out of the cockpit viewport.

"Are you sensing something, River?" Mal asked.

"Not sure, but I feel they'll find their answer", River answered.

"Hope they don't take too long", Jayne said as he walked up to the flight deck, "I was lookin' to get back to the other Earth and do some more souvenir huntin'!"

"If what Ginnie says is true about this museum in – what city did she say, that's right: Taipei – then we'll be doin' the collecting to end all collecting", Mal assured Jayne.

Ginnie had told them that her archives showed that none of the Chinese Museum treasures got off from Taiwan because a large earthquake had hit, damaging the orbital shuttle that had held the museum's finest pieces. As the evacuation from Taiwan to the ships taking the populace to the newly-terraformed worlds had almost been completed, there was no one to go back and collect the pieces…

"Well, if the payoff's that good, I'm prepared to wait some", Jayne said, "But both the Doc and his partner are annoyed that they weren't in the raptor themselves so they could go down-planet with the other two".

"Well, since they'll need to screen Ginnie and her husband on their return, plus help look at them samples, they'll be busy enough soon", Mal said.

Zoe said nothing. Thinking about Ginnie and her husband made her wish about her husband. If only Wash was still alive, she thought. He'd have loved coming out this deep into the black…

**RAPTOR ONE – SURFACE OF PLANET EARTH-THIRTEEN – THREE HOURS LATER.**

"We're lifting off now, Ginnie", Grant said, "Hope you got those samples secured".

"They're all stowed away securely, my husband", Ginnie replied from the RSO seat, "and the portable atmospheric sampler plus the analyzer data is nice and safe".

"Then let's go", Grant said.

Grant smoothly lifted the Raptor off the surface and piloted the Raptor into orbit for their rendezvous with SERENITY. For Grant, the initial landing site had been rather anticlimactic. It just seemed like a smooth grassy area by a shoreline that faced into a large harbor. There was no visible wreckage of buildings, nor hulks of ships laying in the harbor, though the chances of anything recognizably artificial lasting one hundred and fifty thousand years – if the PEGASUS jump hypothesis is true – would be marginal at best.

Ginnie had done around the landing area, drilling core holes and extracting deep core samples from the soil at various locations around the raptor. She had also taken air samples, plant samples, and taken other readings on her portable scanner for analysis back at Simon's infirmary on SERENITY. Also, she had taken some sand and water samples from the shoreline. She wanted to have as many samples as possible.

For comparative analysis, Ginnie also had Grant pilot her and the raptor inland to another clearing several hundred miles away from the harbor in order to take another group of core samples. More flora was collected there as well. In a remarkably short time, Ginnie had everything needed for the initial investigation to begin, once they returned to SERENITY.

She had her geology credential, which helped speed the core sample retrieval, plus helped her get various different rocks for additional analysis, but she was reluctant to draw conclusions based on what she saw until Doctors Tam and Ashley got their lab into operation. But despite her reluctance, she did have a sneaking suspicion about it all. She pondered it all the way back to SERENITY.

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – INFIRMARY - TWO HOURS LATER.**

By the time that Grant and Ginnie had secured the raptor and taken decontamination showers – the latter just to ensure that they didn't bring back any unwelcome microbes – Simon Tam and Ashley Wilkin were well into their analysis of the samples that had been brought back. When Ginnie – freshly changed into new clothes – came into the lab, Doctor Ashley and Simon had nodded their agreement.

"Ah, Ginnie", Dr. Ashley said, "I assume you want to know what we found out?"

"You have an answer?" Ginnie asked. Both doctors nodded.

"Those deep surface core samples you took contained a geological record spanning a quarter-million years", Dr. Ashley said, "so we could date positively anything unusual… and we found it".

"Just over one hundred and fifty thousand years ago – between one hundred and fifty-five thousand and one hundred and sixty thousand years ago to be more precise, the strata of the sample showed decayed radioactive isotopes – and artificial ones at that", Dr. Ashley said, "That strata area had huge levels of radioactive poison. It was so abrupt, and the decay rate going through the subsequent levels of strata were so precise, we can surmise that this was as a result of a war".

"Are you sure, Doctor?" Ginnie asked, "It could have been the site of a nuclear reactor that went into meltdown".

"The comparative analysis samples from the remote site match those from the 'city' site you went to", Dr. Ashley said, "plus the traces of artificial alloys in the soil do not match the alloy types of what you would expect in reactor construction. With their very low half-life, we are quite certain on that".

Simon Tam added, "Which means that (a) there was a society here, (b) there had been a nuclear war, and (c) it was over one hundred and fifty thousand years ago. The data from the GALACTICA log matches the data from the sample. If this planet is indeed the one that GALACTICA encountered before the Battle of the Colony and the final jump to Earth-That-Was – and it is almost certain, given the co-ordinates from the jump – It looks like the PEGASUS was the one that made the time-jump".

"I suspected as much", Ginnie replied, "because of my geologist experience, I had a good idea that's what it was, plus the idea of over fifty ships time-jumping back by accident rather than one ship jumping forward by accident made the odds of GALACTICA going back in time less and less likely".

"So it looks like there is no CEREBRUS, no HYPERION, and no TRINITY for you to look for any more", Simon said.

"Maybe not the ships", Ginnie replied, "but if they survived somehow, then we'll be looking for their descendents instead".


	47. Chapter 47

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – PLANET MIRANDA - NEW PICON SPACEPORT – TWO DAYS LATER**

"So did your little expedition go off without a hitch, Mal?" Inara asked as she walked up to the open cargo bay hatch. SERENITY had just landed and Inara was curious to see if things went okay.

"You could say that everyone got what they wanted", Mal replied, gesturing to a number of crates stacked in the bay in front of the raptor.

After jumping back from Earth-Thirteen to Earth-That-Was, Ginnie guided River down to the crumbling ruins of the Chiang Kai-Sheck Spaceport in the decaying ruins of the Taiwanese city of Taipei. With the archival references in her hand, she guided Mal, Zoe, and Jayne to the ancient hulk of the transport shuttle CHINA ROSE, where inside its hull, the prize pieces of the Chinese History Museum were still perfectly preserved in their hermetically sealed reinforced aluminum crates.

Mal guided Inara to one of the crates that had been carefully opened by Simon Tam. Inside were several pieces of Ming Dynasty jade. Inara gasped.

"The museums would pay so much for these pieces", Inara breathed, "Mal, I hope that's who you intend to sell these pieces to and not to individual collectors".

Mal didn't consider that. These pieces were more than just high-priced antiques; these were a history of one of the greatest ancient cultures of Earth-That-Was. True, individual collectors would pay more per piece, but Inara had a point…

"Hi Inara", Grant Wise said, "Mal, I hate to be a bother, but we need to get these crates off-loaded. I have to get the raptor back to our hangar".

"And I have to get my report off to Admiral Cain", Ginnie Annan added.

Mal turned to Jayne, who was just walking into the cargo bay. He said, "Jayne, let's get these crates off SERENITY and stowed in our warehouse".

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – FLAG QUARTERS – ONE DAY LATER**

"So that's it", Cain said to himself after he put down the final page of Ginnie's report, "We jumped forward in time".

Leaning back in his chair, he thought about the people who he knew and were now one hundred and fifty millennia-old memories. There would be no more HYPERION fleet to watch out for, no more TRINITY, no more GOLIATH, and no more CEREBRUS. Could it also mean no more Cylons?

Cain thought about Ginnie's hypothesis regarding possible descendents still out there somewhere in deep space. He still had the GALACTICA log, and as it managed to get SERENITY to Earth-Thirteen, there was no reason why they could not use the log to track all the way back to the Colonies. If any of the other survivors had indeed managed to elude the Cylons and get settled, there was no reason why there could not be other pockets of humanity out there. Perhaps as settled and expanding on other worlds as the Alliance is now…

Of course, the flip side of the coin was what would have happened to the Cylons over the same period of time. But there lay the fact that for over one hundred and fifty thousand years of human repopulating – first of Earth-That-Was, then here in the Alliance - there was nothing in the archives that even hinted at Cylons encountering GALACTICA's descendents. That was a good sign, but he realized that eventually, some expedition had to go back to the Colonies to find out for sure.

"So do I let on to the Alliance about this?" he asked himself rhetorically. Given the information regarding Earth-Thirteen being suitable for decolonization, the logical thing to do would be to inform PEST, but given that PEST was an arm of Blue Sun, they would be interested in how SERENITY had happened to come across a habitable world nearly one-sixth of the way around the galaxy. And if they ever got hold of the log data…

Cain knew that while the possibility of a society prevailing for over 150,000 years was remote – societal changes alone made such evolutionary moves from their origins inevitable, the fact that the Cylons were – by and large – a non-biological race made their survival and retention of historical knowledge more likely.

Thanks to the GALACTICA log, and the confirmation of the location of Earth-Thirteen, it had been worked out by a very few trusted persons – Ginnie Annan being one of them – that the Colonies were approximately a quarter-way around the galaxy. Cain compared it with a piece of pie cut into equal quarters. The Alliance was at the edge of one slice while the colonies were at the edge of the other slice. Either way one looked at it , it was a long voyage that both the GALACTICA and the PEGASUS had made…

Just then, his communicator buzzed. Cain picked it up.

"Cain", he said.

"Admiral", the voice of Commandant Ruger came over the line, "You wanted to know when Vice-Commandant Brinkman was about to leave the PEGASUS. He's plugged in to this communications line now".

"Excellent", Cain replied, "Can you hear me, Max?" he asked.

"Yes, Admiral", Brinkman's voice replied.

"As of this moment, you are to wear your new rank insignia of a full commandant. Congratulations. The AUSTRALIA is expecting you at Sihnon. You're all set to go and assume command?" he asked.

"Yes, Admiral", Brinkman replied, "And thank you".

"Don't think that you're getting out of your wetting down", Cain chided jokingly, "When you join up with the AMERICA task force, I expect Commandant Sanders and myself to be treated to lots of drinks in your officer's club. Clear?"

"Yes, Admiral", Brinkman replied with a mock pout in his voice.

"I wanted to let you know that I intend to come aboard the AUSTRALIA just before you arrive at Salisbury to take on your strike wing's vipers and raptors. Call it an unofficial visit of sorts. This is between you and me. Okay?" Cain said.

Brinkman caught the tone in Cain's voice. Something told him it wasn't just an informal visit – which really would have been more proper to take place after the AUSTRALIA arrived on station.

"No problem, Admiral", Brinkman said, "If you use your old call-sign when your ship arrives, I'll make sure that you're quietly brought on board".

"Thanks, Max. I'm looking forward to seeing your first battlestar command", Cain said, "Have a good trip back to Sihnon, then have fun with the shakedown. Let me know just before you head out to Salisbury".

"Will do", Brinkman acknowledged.

**PLANET MIRANDA – NEW PICON SETTLEMENT – SYKE RESIDENCE**

"So there you have it, Tricia", Gene said to his pregnant wife, "The catalysts will be made off-planet from here on out and shipped to us in secure containers via military transport. Hopefully that will stop any more break-in attempts at the refinery catalyst complex".

Tricia was listening to Gene talk about her father's decision in their sprawling home in the 'Caprica' suburb of the settlement. Gene had no problem talking about such things to Tricia because he had some associates go through the house thoroughly in order to remove any listening devices.

Tricia gently patted her ever-enlarging tummy as she adjusted herself in her chair. While she still continued to work at the settlement administration complex – nicknamed 'City Hall' – she knew that it wouldn't be too long before she would have to stop because of her condition, and after she gave birth she would be a full-time mother for the twins – one boy and one girl.

"Hearing how those guards died was really terrible, Gene", Tricia said, "so hopefully this new way of making the tyllium will stop any such tragedies from recurring. Did Father give any inkling as to who may be responsible?"

"He said that he had a good idea", Syke replied, "but without solid evidence, he was reluctant to tell me anything more. He did agree with me that a weapon that could cook and liquefy peoples' insides would have to be in the hands of a sophisticated industrial spy".

"Given that the tyllium formula is the only thing that we're still keeping to ourselves, there would be a lot of people and groups that would want to get their hands on the formula", Tricia stated.

"True, but this way, it keeps us as an asset to the Alliance", Gene replied, "After all, when assets become liabilities… well, look what happened to the first thirty million settlers on Miranda".

Tricia nodded grimly. That 'Pax' gas showed the bad side of the Alliance pretty damn clearly. It was a good thing that the exposé done by SERENITY a couple of years ago had helped to dull down that nasty edge of Alliance politics, but she also knew that while dulled, that edge was still there…

"You ever regretted leaving a viper cockpit for this life, my wife?" Gene asked, "It now seems so less exciting, doesn't it?"

"I always wanted a family, Gene", Tricia replied with feeling, "and motherhood is much more fulfilling outside of a viper cockpit. Are you regretting leaving the service, my husband?"

"Sure, I've had my regrets, Tricia. But I've had no doubts that this was the correct course to take. Besides, if my Father-in-Law needs me back in uniform, he'd let me know. I know that he wants me to be your loving husband".

With that, he leaned over and kissed his wife, being careful not to push up against her baby bump…

**BATTLESTAR AMERICA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER – EIGHT DAYS LATER**

"All ships are on board and we're retracting the landing bay pods, Commandant", Xiang reported to Ruger, "PEGASUS reports likewise and we'll be ready to make the jump to the Heinlein system".

Nodding, Ruger turned to Cain, saying, "Well, I for one am glad that our deployment here came to an end, Admiral. Them Reavers are pretty smart. I don't think the Admiralty is going to like the fact that we only got a couple of Reaver ships here at Antilles".

"True, Commandant", Cain replied, "but the fact that our viper and raptor recons of the debris field enabled us to get a very accurate map created makes it all worth it".

"You think we'll find any Reavers anywhere near Heinlein?" Ruger asked quietly, "A couple of isolated raiding parties hit Silverhold, and all of a sudden, we're being dispatched en-masse: us, the PEGASUS, and the EURASIA".

"Until we get more battlestars so that we can have a more permanent patrol ability, this is the best solution we have", Cain replied, "but I see your point. When the AUSTRALIA arrives on-station, I can then talk Admiral Hendrix to send one pair of battlestars elsewhere so that we can double our efforts".

"Well, I won't be sorry when that happens. Of course, one of the decommissioned cruisers could be deployed here as well…" Ruger suggested.

"There's not all that many cruisers, Hardie", Cain replied, "and the Antilles field is far off the beaten path of population centers and commerce. The only reason we went here in the first place was for some isolated training time… until the VINDICATOR changed things. Anyway, we'd better get going to Heinlein. I daresay that the people on Silverhold will be pleased to see us".

Nodding, Ruger turned to Xiang and ordered him to start the countdown for the jump, and to inform the PEGASUS accordingly.

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA - FLEET DOCKYARDS - PLANET SIHNON – ONE DAY LATER**

It had been a day since the AUSTRALIA returned from her shakedown cruise, and now that the final technical tunings-up had been completed, the formal ceremony commissioning the AUSTRALIA into the navy was coming to completion.

"… and in accordance with this order signed B. Hendrix, Chief of Naval Staff, Battlestar AUSTRALIA BSA-4 is formally commissioned into the Navy of the Union of Allied Planets. Commandant Maximillian Brinkman commanding aforementioned battlestar", Brinkman concluded.

The persons assembled on CIC – where he had read the document of commission - applauded. So did others on board the AUSTRALIA who had been listening to the Public Address System (that had broadcast Brinkman's speech to the rest of the crew).

"X.O.", Brinkman said to his Executive officer, Vice-Commandant James Grafton, "Now that we have finished with the ceremonies, I do believe that we need to get going to Salisbury. We need to get our strike wing loaded up".

"Yes, Commandant", Grafton replied, "and it's good that our pilots are going to be there as well. Saves us an additional trip to Miranda".

"Considering that the AMERICA, PEGASUS, and EURASIA are over at the Heinlein System now, Miranda would be a bit of a detour, Jack", Brinkman said, "so let's get going".

As he gave this order, Brinkman's eyes ran over an item from Earth-That-Was that was mounted on one of the CIC bulkheads: an aboriginal diggery-doo from Ancient Australia. It seemed appropriate that this item was now on a battlestar that bore the name of it's country of origin. Such touches were part of Alliance naval tradition: a porcelain bald eagle from the old White House on Earth-That-Was was on board the AMERICA in the Officer's Club, and a Cossack saber from ancient Russia mounted on a wooden shield in the CIC Conference room on the EURASIA.

As Grafton went over to the Helm station to issue the orders that would get the AUSTRALIA out of the dock and on her way to her first deployment, Brinkman gave the raptor pilot who had taken him to Sihnon from the PEGASUS - and was now standing by to head back to the AMERICA – a note marked ADMIRAL'S EYES ONLY.

"As soon as the AUSTRALIA clears the dock, get your F-T-L going and get that back to Admiral Cain pronto", he ordered. The pilot nodded and left CIC, heading down to the raptor.

"Excuse me, Commandant", the helm officer called. Brinkman walked over to the helm console.

"Sorry for disturbing you, Commandant", Helm said, "but these F-T-L co-ordinates seem to be a little off. According to these, we'd be emerging from F-T-L at least a day away from Salisbury on sub-light. Do you wish me to change the co-ordinates?"

Making a mental note to commend Helm for his vigilance, he said, "Negative, Helm. I want us to make a stately appearance to Salisbury on sub-light. Retain the current F-T-L co-ordinates".

"Yes, Commandant", Helm acknowledged, wondering to himself why he wanted to be a day late taking on his strike wing…

Within a few minutes, the AUSTRALIA moved away from her mooring station at the fleet docks. As the AUSTRALIA passed by the almost-completed BRITTANICA, Brinkman stole a glance at the last of these PEGASUS-class battlestars to be built. All subsequent battlestars would follow the colonial MERCURY-class specifications and by all accounts, those battlestars would be extremely formidable warships in their own right.

Five years, and those battlestars will all be completed, and the next fifty well under way in construction, Brinkman thought. Maybe after his tour commanding AMERICA is completed, he could find himself commanding one of the MERCURY's (which here in the Alliance would be called the ATLANTIA class, after the first ship completed) – that is if he wasn't kicked upstairs to a desk job at the Admiralty…

As the Battlestar AUSTRALIA moved away from the dock complex, Brinkman's raptor emerged from the port bay landing pod. As it accelerated away from the AUSTRALIA on sub-light, the RSO set the F-T-L co-ordinates for the planet Silverhold in the Heinlein System. With a flash, it disappeared, taking the raptor, it's two-man crew, and the note from Brinkman to Admiral Cain with them to Silverhold.


	48. Chapter 48

**CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT**

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA – TWENTY HOURS OUT FROM PLANET SALISBURY**

In CIC, the change of watch had just taken place and the crew was settling into their routine. Commandant Brinkman knew that more than a few of them had wondered why he had chosen to have the F-T-L jump the AUSTRALIA a day away from Salisbury, rather than to Salisbury itself. Well, as commandant, he didn't have to justify his decisions to his subordinates, and he suspected that very soon, the reason for his doing so would make its appearance…

"Commandant", the officer monitoring the DRADIS reported, "I'm picking up a contact that just appeared. IFF identifies it as a raptor just emerging from F-T-L. It's requesting permission to land".

Brinkman smiled. He knew who it was. He picked up his communicator and nodded to the Communications officer to patch him in to the incoming raptor.

"Incoming raptor, this is Dingo Actual", he said, "Identification, please".

"Dingo Actual, this is Renegade Star Three", he heard back, "Request landing clearance for classified courier regarding Dingo". 'Dingo' was the code phrase for the AUSTRALIA.

Brinkman nodded. He knew that 'Renegade' was Garris Cain's old call-sign and the 'star-three' reference was in reference to Cain's rank of Vice-Admiral. As Brinkman had arranged it so that no former colonials now in Alliance service were in CIC at this particular watch, no-one tweaked as to the identity of the 'courier'.

"Core Command", Brinkman ordered, "give the incoming raptor clearance to land on port bay pad nine".

"Yes, Commandant", the Core Command duty officer acknowledged.

"I'd better go and meet our guest", Brinkman said next, "Comms, you have CIC, and needless to say, this arrival never happened".

"Yes, Commandant", Major Annette Liu acknowledged. Brinkman nodded and left CIC.

"What do you suppose all that's about, Comms?" the Core Command officer asked, "First the early F-T-L emergence, and now a classified courier?"

"If the commandant wanted us to know, Lieutenant", Liu replied, "He'd have written us a letter. Let's just get back to our jobs, okay?"

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA – PORT BAY HANGAR BAY NINE.**

"Request permission to come aboard, Commandant", Cain formally requested as he saluted Brinkman.

"Permission granted, Admiral", Brinkman replied as he returned the salute.

Cain and Brinkman were the only persons in the large hangar bay. Cain had piloted the raptor himself from the AMERICA, and Brinkman had the foresight to order the ground crews out of the bay before it was opened. Cain wanted the visit secret, and he was determined to oblige.

"Think you can get me up to the CIC conference room on the sly, Max?" Cain asked.

Brinkman held out a coverall and a helmet with a darkened face shield. As Cain quickly put on the disguise, Brinkman asked, "Think you can enlighten me as to your little secret visit, Admiral?"

"The conference room has been swept of listening devices and bugs, correct?" Cain asked. Brinkman nodded.

"Then I'll tell you up there, Max", Cain replied as he put on the helmet.

"You go first, Admiral", Brinkman suggested, "I'll follow in a couple of minutes".

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA – CIC CONFERENCE ROOM – FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Director Balthazar Iblis of Blue Sun Corporation will be honoring the AUSTRALIA with a surprise visit when you get to Salisbury, Max", Cain said after removing his coverall.

Brinkman whistled. How did Cain manage to get wind of such a visit from one of the most secretive – an influential - figures in the Alliance?

"Any particular reason why he's visiting the AUSTRALIA?" Brinkman asked, "Is it because you're here?"

"Iblis doesn't know I'm here – or at least I hope so", Cain replied, "I want to have a one-on-one chat with him here in this conference room. Can you arrange it?"

"If he wants to visit the AUSTRALIA, I'd have to show him CIC", Brinkman replied, "I think that I can swing it".

"Max", Cain said earnestly, "There must be no way that anyone knows that I'm here talking to him".

"Is it about the VINDICATOR?" Brinkman asked.

"What about the VINDICATOR?" Cain asked with an ominous undertone.

"Scuttlebutt", Brinkman replied, "Rumors among the battlestar commanders".

"Have you discussed these rumors with anyone on the AUSTRALIA, Max?" Cain asked next. Brinkman shook his head emphatically, but his face showed some concern.

" I'm not going to kill the son-of-a-bitch, if that's what you're worried about", Cain said, "This is just a friendly one-on-one 'chat' with the man in charge of producing our vipers, raptors, and other materiel for our battlestars", Cain said with a straight face.

"In that case, I won't keep you, or our surprise guest waiting", Brinkman replied, "I'll have Helm F-T-L us to Salisbury, but he may ask why we're four hours late in arriving".

"One of the things that battlestar commanders are famous for, Max", is their ability to lie convincingly when needed", Cain said lightly, "I'm sure you'll think of something".

**BLUE SUN CORPORATION AERONAUTICS DIVISION - PLANET SALISBURY – KALIDASA SYSTEM**

"The Battlestar AUSTRALIA has exited its F-T-L and is entering orbit, Director", Iblis' aide reported.

Iblis was sitting in his office sipping on a martini. He put down his drink and swiveled his chair to face his aide.

"The AUSTRALIA is four hours late in its ETA, Clive", Iblis commented, "Did the AUSTRALIA report why?"

"I heard Commandant Brinkman tell Salisbury Control that he had decided to do a surprise F-T-L out in empty space for the purpose of running an impromptu sub-light drive systems check", Clive replied.

"Typical military mindset", Iblis concluded, "well, that's what battlestars are for, I suppose. You've got my shuttle ready to depart?"

"Yes, Director", Clive confirmed, "And as per your request, Chief test pilot Walter Hunter will be piloting it for your flight to and from the AUSTRALIA".

"I take it that Stevens wasn't too happy at his being subbed for Hunter", Iblis said dryly, "but I need someone with experience landing on a battlestar and Hunter is the only one we have here".

"Do you think that given the relatively brief time Hunter has worked at Blue Sun, he can be trusted to pilot you?" Clive asked.

"The reason that I've worked my way to the top – and stayed on top – Clive", Iblis replied, "Is that I trust no-one. Still, Hunter has done a creditable job, and giving his this 'privilege' should cement his loyalty to Blue Sun. Besides, my three bodyguards will also be watching him".

"Then with your permission, Director", Clive said, "I'll get the final preparations under way".

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER – TWO HOURS LATER.**

"The vipers and raptors are coming in on both decks, Commandant", Core Command reported, "CAG and his deputy are directing then to their dispersal points as we speak".

"Excellent, Lieutenant", Brinkman acknowledged, "I'm sure that Captain Camperelli and Lieutenant McDonald are having a wonderful time getting their strike wing settled in".

Captain Luigi 'Figaro' Camperelli was one of the V.T.T. honor graduates that had been short-listed for Advanced Tactical Training, but when he had been offered the CAG slot on the AUSTRALIA, he jumped at the offer. His strike wing command –which he had named the 'Wild Cards' – was a dream come true for him. His deputy, Ron 'Krusty' McDonald was also a V.T.T. honor graduate. Brinkman was glad to have them running the wing.

"Excuse me, Commandant", Core Command suddenly announced, "I'm getting a request for landing from an incoming shuttle".

"IFF check, please", Brinkman instructed.

"It's not military", Core Command replied after running the IFF interrogation routine, "but it has a priority A-plus security clearance. Non-belligerency code confirmed".

Brinkman kept his face impassive, compared with the Core Command duty officer's expression of surprise. The A-plus security clearance was impressive enough, but the 'non-belligerency' code meant that the request could not be refused for any reason.

"High-ranking VIP", Brinkman said in as an impassive tone as he could manage, "They are cleared for priority landing in Starboard bay landing pad one".

"Yes, Commandant", Core Command acknowledged, "They have also requested that only you meet the shuttle".

"Let the Pad One crew know. I'll go down to meet our guest", Brinkman replied, "Vice-Commandant Grafton, you have CIC".

As Brinkman left CIC, Grafton looked mildly concerned. First the courier raptor that Major Liu had told him about earlier, and now this civilian shuttle with the highest possible security clearance. What was going on?

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA – STARBOARD HANGAR BAY ONE (EN ROUTE TO CIC)**

As Walter Hunter remained in the shuttle, Brinkman and Iblis were heading towards the exit of the hangar bay. Hunter would have liked to have chatted with the pilots, but Director Iblis had firmly instructed him to remain aloof.

"Had I have known that the Director of Blue Sun himself was going to be paying a visit to the AUSTRALIA", Brinkman said with a straight face, "I would not have done that surprise drill earlier".

Brinkman was walking with Iblis towards a waiting transport that would take them to an elevator. Maintaining a discrete distance behind them – but ever-watchful – the three bodyguards walked with them.

Brinkman really didn't care for the three civilian bodyguards, but the security clearances left him with little choice but to acquiesce.

"It was no problem, I assure you, Commandant", Iblis replied, "It's good to see that you're taking your duties as the commander of the AUSTRALIA seriously. I'm just glad to have a chance to look closely at this latest acquisition to the Alliance Navy".

"With the vipers and raptors that you've produced for us, Director", Brinkman said, "It's the least that we could do".

Gesturing to the transport, Iblis got in, followed by his bodyguards. Brinkman got behind the driver controls.

"You do your own driving, Commandant?" Iblis asked.

"Well, you requested that myself only come down to greet you, and – to be honest – any excuse to get out of CIC is one I'll gladly take", Brinkman replied, "besides, the transport drivers are busy helping my CAG get his pilots transported to their respective squadron areas".

As Brinkman drove the transport to the express elevator that would take them to the CIC level, Iblis looked around at the gleaming interior of the newly-commissioned battlestar, and of the business-like demeanor of the crew. The crewmen stood to attention as Brinkman drove past them, but he waved them back to their duties.

"I've taken the liberty of arranging a luncheon in the Officers Club in about an hour. I hope that you will be able to stay for it", Brinkman said as he brought the transport to a halt outside the express elevator.

"I never turn down naval hospitality, Commandant", Iblis replied as he – and his goons – got off the transport.

A quick ride up in the express elevator got them to CIC's level. A thirty-second walk from the elevator got the party to CIC. Iblis gestured to his bodyguards to remain at the entrance to CIC. Brinkman silently breathed a sigh of relief at Iblis' gesture.

"I know that CIC traditionally does not like civilians present", Iblis confided, "So this way, we're both happy".

Brinkman showed Iblis the various stations around CIC, from Core Command to Helm, and to the DRADIS console in the center. The officers on duty were amazed that Balthazar Iblis himself was in the same room as them, but they remained professional throughout, and Iblis watched approvingly as the CIC personnel smoothly directed the rest of the strike wing's complement of vipers and raptors on board the battlestar.

Just then, Grafton walked up to Brinkman with a message sheet that had been passed to him by Liu – this sheet had been given to her earlier by Brinkman with instructions to hand it to the X.O. after the VIP was shown into CIC.

"Commandant", Grafton said respectfully, given Iblis' presence, "There's a message here for your guest. It's an urgent request for a private communication".

"Anywhere private that I can take the call, Commandant?" Iblis asked, trying to conceal his annoyance at being disturbed during this tour.

"The conference room just off CIC is secure and you can take your call there, Director", Brinkman replied.

Brinkman showed Iblis to the door leading into the conference room. Iblis turned to face Brinkman.

"I do apologize, Commandant, but the message was specifically meant to be private. I'll have to be in here alone. Is the line secure?"

"It is, Director", Brinkman replied, "and I'll have one of your colleagues stand by the Communications console so that no-one listens in".

"That is most considerate of you, Commandant", Iblis replied, "So if you'll excuse me…"

Iblis entered the room and closed the door. Just then, he heard a click as lock-bolts remotely secured the door.

"The room is sound-proof, Mr. Iblis", a voice said, "So shouting for your bodyguards won't be heard".

Iblis turned to face who was speaking. He saw a middle-aged man wearing the insignia of a vice-admiral in the Alliance Navy. He knew who it was.

"Admiral Garris Cain, I presume", Iblis said as he composed himself. Cain nodded.

"As I heard that you were visiting this AUSTRALIA while she was at Salisbury, I thought I'd take the opportunity to have a little chat with you. Like the note said, it is a private communication between us".

Iblis wondered how Cain could have found out about his visit, but he also knew that Cain was a person of integrity and that he wasn't armed. Iblis sat down at the conference table. Cain followed suit.

"I'm listening, Admiral", Iblis said.


	49. Chapter 49

**CHAPTER FORTY-NINE**

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA – CIC CONFERENCE ROOM**

"I have to be honest, Mr. Iblis", Cain began as he spoke to the Director of Blue Sun Corporation, "I was torn whether to get on my knees and thank you most profusely for the vipers and raptors that your company is doing an outstanding job of building, or blowing your head off for your role in the deaths of those people on the VINDICATOR. Regardless of the fact that the Battlestar building program got approved as a result, I still find the manner of their deaths distasteful, to say the least".

"Admiral", Iblis replied slowly, "you wife told me how perceptive you were in figuring out what had happened. I'm not going to insult your intelligence by trying to deny it, but I'm honestly curious as to how you can reconcile your attitude towards the VINDICATOR with the command decisions you had to make in order to get the PEGASUS safely here – decisions, I may add, that cost you a number of your crew".

"I've thought about that, Mr. Iblis", Cain responded in an even tone, "and I remember all of those people who did die as a result of my decisions. That is the burden that a military commander has".

"And you don't think it's the same in the corporate world, Admiral?" Iblis countered, "True, Blue Sun – like the other conglomerates – is guided by profit. But – and this is something I'd have thought that you would have also realized – it is also guided by survival. Your presence here means that there is a chance that your enemies could also come. That, plus the Reaver menace – a Reaver ship some years ago captured a ship carrying my nephew and his wife as they were going out to settle on one of the outer worlds, in case you didn't know – made the expansion of the navy a priority".

"I won't argue about the positive merits of the expansion program, Mr. Iblis", Cain said, "but your rationale that the ends justify the means is a slippery path to oblivion. And in any case, the Reavers were as a result of your Pax gas on Miranda".

"I've had to live with the knowledge of the Pax and what it did, Admiral", Iblis answered, "but look to the Alliance politicians who ordered it used if you're looking for blame. I just supplied the gas according to their specifications. But how you can try and say to me that 'the ends justify the means' doesn't apply to you is rather hypocritical. Your ends were the survival of the PEGASUS. Your means were to order out your pilots and marines knowing that there was a good chance they would never come back!"

"Military personnel accept the risks, Iblis", Cain shot back, struggling to keep his temper, "you never gave the VINDICATOR crew the chance to volunteer for their mission, did you?"

"If their deaths – unfortunate as they were – means that thousands or even millions more people's lives are saved as a result, then I'd call that the right decision, Admiral Cain", Iblis earnestly replied, "and I want the Alliance to survive".

"I can understand survival, Iblis", Cain said in a calmer tone, "but your meddling in the politics here, resorting to blackmail – and I'll include my wife in that – and stealing industrial secrets kind of puts a damper on your 'noble purpose' to assure survival. I found out that you had started building the peregrine before I even agreed to grant you the contract, and I have a very shrewd idea that people in your employ tried to break into the Tyllium refinery on New Picon, with the result that two guards died horribly. So you're not impressing me so far with your logic".

"Your wife – like you – is a person of principle", Iblis replied, "and I should remind you that it was you going out of military channels to inform her on the VINDICATOR affair that gave me the opening. I'll be blunt; she is one of the most powerful people in parliament and she is there because of the Miranda exposé at the hands of SERENITY – a ship now under your protection! Principles are great, but other people and groups with nastier agendas have broken people with principles throughout Earth-That-Was', and Alliance history. Thanks to my being able to get copies of colonial history, I can see that it was no less the case in the colonies. Their government was just like ours, and it was that same colonial government that you swore to serve. An interesting attitude for a man of principle, isn't it?"

"Humanity is imperfect, Iblis", Cain countered, "and you don't have to show me that corruption and other nasty things occurred back at the colonies as well, but the veneer of civilization is a thin one and without that veneer, humanity reverts to pure savagery. I swore to maintain that veneer in the hope that humanity would eventually grow beyond their petty base grievances".

"I try to maintain that veneer here too, Admiral", Iblis said, "Let me tell you that the Unification war was a massive dupe done by a few people who had an attentive audience to listen to – the outer world settlers. Those few people succeeded in causing a massive civil war because they didn't like the Alliance and exploited unfounded fears about it to folk like your Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Had they succeeded, then humanity would have been fatally weakened. As it was, a lot of people died for ideals that the powers-that-be didn't really give a damn about".

"So you see yourself as the 'glue' keeping the 'jigsaw' of the Alliance together, do you?" Cain asked rhetorically, "That is hubris, Mr. Iblis".

"Given the strife that happened back on Earth-That-Was, and your colonial history, Admiral, someone has to keep things together", Iblis replied.

"But what you are doing with our technology can threaten things more, Iblis", Cain stated, "and I'm not talking about battlestars, raptors, peregrines, and vipers. I have heard that the Cylon artificacts that we sent to New Melbourne had been copied by you, and that you are planning to create automatons along Cylon lines. It was a conglomerate like Blue Sun back at the Colonies that created the Cylons in the first place, with the result that they revolted – the second time damn near succeeding in exterminating every human in the colonies!"

"Perhaps that's why the Cylons revolted, Admiral", Iblis replied evenly, "Because they saw the flaws of humanity and wanted to replace it with something better. How is that for principle, and the ends justifying the means?"

Cain's expression didn't change, but he knew from reading the GALACTICA logs that the Cylons did have a plan to preserve humanity by wiping out most of it, then merging themselves with the few survivors to create an improved version of humanity. But looking at Balthazar Iblis, Cain couldn't shake the feeling that the Cylon experiment didn't exactly result in an enlightened species. All that it seemed to change is making humanity pray to a single God rather than the many deities of the Olympian cult…

"If you recreate Cylons as well as you have recreated our vipers, Iblis", Cain said evenly, "regardless of how careful you might think you're being doing so in order to avoid what had happened before, then the whole vicious cycle will start again. Can you reconcile that with your imperative to ensure the survival of the Alliance?"

"I really need to find out sometime just how you've been getting your information, Admiral", Iblis replied conversationally, "They could teach my operatives a thing or two".

"Operatives as in those parliamentary hatchet-men?" Cain asked, "I thought my wife had managed to put them under some semblance of order".

"She has", Iblis replied, "But no, I have my own efficient network. Yes, I do try and gain knowledge, and your tyllium is a case in point. Giving the Alliance the full formula would be the best thing in the long term, you know".

"I'm more concerned about the short term", Cain shot back, "because after reading about the Pax, the butchery your so-called doctors performed on children like River Tam, the Reavers, and other little bits and pieces of information, I know precisely what could happen to us – the colonials - if we had no more bargaining chips to deal with. Tyllium is our last poker chip, Iblis".

"Then perhaps it's time for us to deal, Admiral", Iblis said.

"A deal with an entity that can swat us down like flies doesn't exactly seem ironclad, Iblis", Cain pointed out.

"Admiral, I could have easily had you and your wife ousted", Iblis pointed out, "but I didn't. Not because of having people in high places to blackmail, but because – contrary to what you may believe – there is a place in the Alliance political and military establishment for people who have integrity. Had you pushed, I would have gotten the ball rolling and had you and your wife rendered impotent, but the moneys coming in from the manufacture of the vipers, the raptors, and the peregrines are doing Blue Sun very well. Your royalties are keeping your settlement on New Picon prosperous, not to mention the supply of Tyllium you're sending to the Core. You're more secure than you think".

"All you're saying is that while we would be rather difficult to put down, it certainly would not be impossible", Cain responded.

"True", Iblis said, "but you do have sanctuary here, and you have powerful friends in the military and the government. Plus I realize that you could have easily killed me, but you didn't. Of course, my death would simply mean that another member of the board would take my place and nothing would have in-effect changed".

"You mentioned a deal, Mr. Iblis", Cain said evenly, "so what do you have in mind?"

"I will stop the Cylon program in-total and have the specs we obtained for them destroyed", Iblis began, "and in addition, I – or anyone else for that matter - will not make any further threatening moves against you and your wife, and other colonials who don't make such moves against me, for that matter. I'll also stop the industrial espionage on your people. In addition, I guarantee that the amnesty granted to the Tams, and to the rest of the crew of SERENITY will be inviolate".

"Sounds nice. What do you want from me in return?" Cain asked, intrigued.

"In twelve months, I would like the formula for the Tyllium. Your people would still get royalties from the production of the fuel, and you'll also have my personal assurance for the safety and well-being of New Picon and the colonials in employ – both civil and military – throughout the Alliance".

"And any additional contracts that we may have, you would like to have first option on as well?" Cain asked rhetorically. Iblis nodded.

"How do I know that you and the rest of the people at Blue Sun will abide by this agreement?" Cain asked.

"You don't", Iblis replied simply, "The same way that I don't know if you'll live up to your part of the bargain in twelve months. I don't know if you had read in the history of Earth-That-Was about a pair of operetta playrights named Gilbert and Sullivan. Personally, they hated each other. But professionally, they respected each other's abilities and came out with brilliant plays. You don't like me, Garris Cain, and I don't particularly care for you on a personal level either. But if you can look past the personal and be professional, I can be professional as well".

"I see your point, but double-crossing one another still remains a possibility", Cain said.

"This deal – like the chat – is strictly between us. We both know that if there's a double-cross for either of us, the other one will find a way to kill the double-crosser", Iblis said. Cain nodded grimly.

"If nothing else, we at least respect the notion that either of us is capable of killing the other should the deal go south", Cain said slowly, "I suppose that's a start".

"Then let's have a professional handshake to seal the deal, Admiral", Iblis said, "both to our mutual advantages, and to the necessity of this conversation not having taken place, as far as the rest of humanity is concerned". With that, Iblis extended his hand.

Cain looked into Iblis' eyes and saw both an icy steel, and sincerity. This man was capable of any act to further his goals, but Cain also knew that he would never renege on a deal. In that regard, Ibis had integrity.

Cain slowly extended his hand. Both shook to seal the deal.

"I'll see you in twelve months", Cain said.

"Twelve months", Iblis echoed.

With that, Cain activated the control that unlocked the door. Iblis nodded to Cain once, then opened the door and left the room…

**BATTLESTAR AUSTRALIA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER**

"I feel an appetite for that luncheon that you mentioned earlier, Commandant", Iblis said to Brinkman.

"Then allow me to escort you to the Officers Club", Brinkman offered.

As Iblis, his bodyguards, and Brinkman left CIC, they passed by the door to the conference room. Iblis quietly thought to himself that Admiral Garris Cain was indeed a person deserving of respect. He still wondered how he had gotten his information though. Perhaps that question could be answered in due course…


	50. Chapter 50

**CHAPTER FIFTY**

**BATTLESTAR ATLANTIA - ALLIANCE NAVY ORBITAL DOCKS – TWELVE MONTHS LATER.**

Admiral Cain, along with his daughter Tricia and son-in-law Gene, were guests attending the commissioning of the first of the second series battlestars to come off the production line. While Tricia was quietly checking on her babies – William Adama Cain-Syke and Ellen Sassinak Cain-Syke – the climax of the commissioning ceremony was reaching its climax.

"…And now, it is my honor and privilege to read the following document: As of this date, the Battlestar ATLANTIA – BSB-8 is formally commissioned into the Navy of the Union of Allied Planets, Richard Truly, Commandant, Commanding. Signed, Admiral Bartholomew Hendrix, Chief of Naval Staff".

With that, Commandant Richard 'Ice' Truly placed the document onto the podium and said, "It is done".

The assembled dignitaries applauded the new commandant of the ATLANTIA, echoed of course by the crewmen who had listened in on the ceremony from their posts all over the battlestar.

"Well, Admiral", Truly said, "I suppose I have to do that other part of tradition and treat you and your guests to drinks in the Officer's club".

"I'm afraid so, Commandant", Cain replied.

"X.O.", he called out to Vice-Commandant Arnold Leigh, "You have CIC. Departure for Salisbury will be at 1400".

"Yes, Commandant", Leigh replied, "I'm sure that CAG will be glad to hear that".

"Well, Ice", Gene said to Truly, "This was worth waiting for: seeing you with your own battlestar command".

"If you'd have stayed in, Bojay", Truly replied, "It would be more than likely you in command of the ATLANTIA".

"Hey, I have my own command responsibilities now, Ice", Gene said, gesturing to his wife and children. Tricia was watching Cain's wife Sophia dote on her new grandchildren.

"Given that there are other folk in the Alliance Navy older and more experienced than me, I'm still in confusion as to why I got the command, Admiral". Truly said.

"You shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, Commandant Truly", Cain replied, "but since Admiral Hendrix wanted former colonial military – preferably viper pilots – taking out the lead ship of each new class of battlestar, it was a choice between you and Zapper. Zapper wanted to stay running A.T.T. for now".

"Well, given that a battlestar commander can't really go flying on combat operations in a viper any more, I can see his logic", Truly replied.

Just then, a security guard came up and whispered in Cain's ear. Cain nodded.

"Commandant", Cain said, "There's something I have to do first. I'll see you in the club".

"Okay, Admiral", Truly replied, "I'll keep your drink cold".

Nodding, Cain headed back to CIC, but this time, entered the conference room. Closing the door, he said, "The coast is clear".

"Good to see you again, Admiral", Balthazar Iblis said.

"I won't ask how you managed to get on board the ATLANTIA, Mr. Iblis", Cain replied, "after all, you didn't ask how I got on board the AUSTRALIA twelve months ago".

"Fair enough", Iblis replied, "I take it you have what I requested from you back then?" Cain nodded.

Cain reached into his pocket and took out a sheet of paper. Handing it to Iblis, Iblis read it, then looked back at Cain.

"These ingredients are the catalysts?" Iblis asked with some surprise.

"That, plus bauxite ore of a specific type will make real grade Tyllium. A real economical as well as very efficient fuel", Cain confirmed.

"You have no idea how long my scientists had tried to reverse-engineer the fuel. They were right when they said the chemical reactions to produce the fuel made it a futile task. I continued to push them on it, of course", Iblis said.

"You kept your word to the letter, Mr. Iblis", Cain said, "and as you see, I kept mine".

"As all businessmen should do, Admiral Cain", Iblis replied, "When it comes time for you to retire from the Navy, perhaps you'll consider joining Blue Sun as a member of the Board of Directors. Integrity of your type would keep some of the more ambitious up-and-comers in check".

"I'll keep it in mind", Cain responded without much enthusiasm, "but first, these new MERCURY – excuse me, ATLANTIA – class battlestars have to be eased into naval service. I really don't intend to retire until the last one has been commissioned".

"That's five years", Iblis said, "I suppose I can wait that long. Good luck and God Speed, Admiral", he concluded.

Cain nodded to Iblis, and then left the conference room to head down to the Officers Club. For better or for worse, the last poker chip had been played, and although the deal did carry guarantees, it still made him feel rather nauseous. Dealing with Balthezar Iblis wasn't pleasant, but Cain knew well enough that any attempt at taking him on with his supporters was a battle that he would most likely lose - and would probably result in Sophia and Max Hendrix being taken down with him. Stick to fighting the battles that you can win, he told himself...

**FREIGHTER SERENITY – EN ROUTE TO MIRANDA FROM JIANGYIN**

"That new museum they built on Jiangyin to house those pieces we sold them last year really did justice to them", Mal commented to Inara as he nursed a drink in the galley.

"I told you that selling them to a museum was the best course of action, Mal", Inara replied, "and they paid you very well".

"Well enough for me to think about something that Admiral Cain had talked to me about earlier", Mal said.

"I figured that even with a very healthy bank balance, you don't want to stay put, Mal", Inara said with a smile, "so what did Admiral Cain say?"

"He said that SERENITY did well as an exploration vessel, and he suggested that she should be fully converted to an exploration and survey ship. He offered to even have her armed, providing we don't hold up any civilian ships like pirates, or attack navy shipping", Mal answered.

"You're rich enough to avoid the former and sane enough to avoid the latter, Mal", Inara said, "and I can see where it would have an appeal – being out in the deep black with you being your own boss. What did the others have to say about it?"

"Zoe and River love the idea. Jayne wants to remain back on Miranda running the freight office while living the high life. Simon wants to stay back on Miranda as well working with Dr. Ashley", Mal explained.

"That sounds about right", Inara replied.

"Of course, with that new ship you brought with your share, you're no longer tied to SERENITY – particularly as Glen Sanders arranged to have an F-T-L installed. You'll be able to go to any client you want, when you want", Mal commented.

"True, but it won't be the same as when we were all together doing freelance – and illegal – work on SERENITY. It is kind of an end of an era", Inara sighed.

"Shepherd Book would have approved, Inara", Mal said, "and if Wash were here, he'd have jumped in and joined us out there in the deep black".

"I've named my ship SPIRIT OF SERENITY, Mal", Inara said, "good memories were on this ship".

"You know, if you ever get tired of being a companion, you'll always be welcome back here. Exploring can have its perks too", Mal offered.

"You'll be trying to find Cain's old colonies?" Inara asked. Mal nodded.

"He thought that a ship like SERENITY would attract far less attention than a battlestar, and be less of a spy for the Man than a PEST ship", Mal replied, "and with Kaylee eager to try out the improvements to the F-T-L navi-comp, this upcoming trip will be like a trip to paradise for her".

"She'll try and talk Simon into coming along", Inara said with a smile, "but knowing Simon, he'll find a way to say no. It'll give Kaylee something to return home to".

"Well, my home is the Black", Mal said wistfully, "and Admiral Cain made it possible for me to fully embrace it. Hopefully, I'll be able to find out what happened to his home. I owe him that".

**EPILOGUE – FIVE YEARS LATER.**

While what Mal Reynolds and SERENITY found on their exploratory missions cannot be fitted in the remainder of this story, since the ATLANTIA was commissioned, several things had happened to the main players in this saga over the following five years:

Balthazar Iblis kept his word and the Colonial settlement of New Picon thrived. With Blue Sun now running Tyllium refining, the colonial's refinery was absorbed into Blue Sun's Tyllium concern, and New Picon was getting a healthy percentage of royalties.

Garris Cain earned a fourth star shortly after the ATLANTIA's commissioning and joined Admiral Hendrix on the Naval Staff, replacing Admiral Lutjens who had for reasons 'officially' unknown, decided to retire early. Under Cain's direction, the battlestars were becoming a well-organized and efficient force that kept Alliance space pirate and Reaver-free. His plan to form five seperate automonous fleets of battlestars - ten to twelve battlestars eventually would make up each fleet - would ensure proper coverage of the Alliance systems, in tandem with the former cruisers now converted to super-sentinel posts stationed at strategic points.

His wife Sophia ran for President of the Union of Allied Planets and won on a platform of integrity and honesty in politics (like that was really going to happen, but she tried anyway, and the people appreciated her for it).

Gene Syke was hired by Blue Sun to run their new-and-expanding Tyllium refining concern, with his headquarters on New Picon.

Tricia Syke became the mayor of New Picon, as well as being a loving mother to her two children.

Geoff Tolen became a Rear-Admiral (2 stars) and ended up commanding a Battlestar Task Force, retaining the PEGASUS as his flagship.

Glen Sanders became a Commodore-Admiral (1 star) and likewise had his own Battlestar Task Force, transferring his flag to the newly-commissioned Battlestar COLUMBIA (BSB-9), which would be forming the nucleus of the Second Fleet that would be based at the Alliance Moon of Scarpa Flow, in the Red Sun System.

The Two Jasons (Jason Gorde and Jason Dundee) ended up commanding Advanced Tactical Training after Grant Wise was promoted to Commandant and given command of the Battlestar PACIFICA (BSB-10).

Ginnie Annan re-upped in the Alliance Navy and became the Chief Naval Archivist at the Admiralty with the rank of Commandant.

Carla Halley and Chester Warden ended up commanding the newly commissioned Battlestars SOLARIA (BSB-11) and TRITON (BSB-12), serving under Vice-Admiral Tolen in the newly designated Fifth Fleet, based at a new Alliance facility orbiting New Caanan in the Blue Sun System.

Matt Higgins – at the request of Admiral Cain – became a Commodore-Admiral and the Officer in charge of Astronautics Research at the Admiralty, researching in tandem with Blue Sun Astronautics future generations of vipers and scout ships.

Walter Hunter and Calvin Sims continued their work at Blue Sun Astronautics, climbing up the executive ladder to reach department head positions developing the new design upgrades for the viper and the peregrine.

Wyatt Thyssen – a diehard engineer – took a position with Inter-Systems Fleet Technologies working on the third generation battlestars. His former deputy on the PEGASUS - John Engle - joined his colleague at Inter-Systems.

The Battlestar PEGASUS, the proud survivor of the Cylon holocaust that had brought Garris Cain and her crew to the Alliance was finally scheduled to be decommissioned and placed in the inactive fleet reserve. One of the new third-generation battlestars would take over the name PEGASUS, continuing the legacy. Geoff Tolen intended to make the new PEGASUS his new Fifth Fleet flagship.

And as for Tom Sanders….?

In CIC, Admiral Cain leaned over the podium that had been set up by the DRADIS console and studied the group of people there as guests – among them his former colleagues of the PEGASUS – and began to speak:

"Today marks my final official duty in my service with the Alliance Navy. When I leave here, I will be officially retired and joining my wife – our Commander-In-Chief - on Londinium. But today also marks a fulfillment of a promise I had made to an old friend long gone: William Adama. It was perhaps ironic that on the day that his command - the GALACTICA – was being decommissioned, events started that would take him and a group of survivors on a journey that we all here know how it ended. In one very real sense, it is a passing of the torch, and it is a passing I'm sure that William Adama would have fully approved of. I now call upon the man receiving that torch".

To polite applause, Tom Sanders stepped up to the podium and turned on the shipwide address system.

"As per tradition of the Alliance Navy, I hereby read the following orders", Tom Sanders said, "As of this date, the Battlestar GALACTICA – BSB-12 is formally commissioned into the Navy of the Union of Allied Planets. Thomas Sanders, Commandant, commanding. Signed Admiral Bartholomew Hendrix, Chief of Naval Staff".

Opening a half-empty bottle of vintage ambrosia - the very same bottle that Cain had brought with him from Caprica - Sanders said, "Admiral, it is done". Tom Sanders took a swig and passed it to Cain. Cain took a gulp.

"The GALACTICA is in good hands", Cain said as the guests applauded the last of the second series of battlestars to join the Alliance Navy. GALACTICA would be part of the Third Fleet being based at Hera in the Georgia System.

"There is one last tradition that has to be performed before the GALACTICA heads out to Salisbury", Tom Sanders said "So Admiral Cain, please present yourself appropriately at Port Hangar Bay One".

"Will do, Commandant", Cain said with a smile.

**BATTLESTAR GALACTICA - PORT LANDING BAY - HANGAR BAY ONE**

Twenty minutes later, Garris Cain – wearing civilian attire, with his wife Sophia beside him walked into the bay. Forming a cordon leading to a waiting peregrine - The FLEET AVENGER - were his erstwile colleagues from the PEGASUS: Geoff Tolen, Glen Sanders, Gene Syke, Tricia (with her children holding her hands), Ginnie Annan, Grant Wise, Jason Gorde and Jason Dundee, Matt Higgins, Calvin Sims, Wyatt Thyssen, John Engle, Carla Halley, Richard Truly, and Chester Warden. Standing beside the hatch of the peregrine were Tom Sanders and Walter Hunter.

Cain solemnly shook everyone's hand as Sophia beamed at the affection shown by her husband's former shipmates. When he reached the hatch, he said formally, "Permission to leave the GALACTICA, Commandant?"

"Permission granted, Admiral", Tom Sanders said in salute. He then turned and gave a formal salute to his brother.

"I had to make sure that the Admiral witnessed me finally saluting you, Bro", Tom said with a smile.

"And I had to make sure that I would be the one piloting you and Madam President back to Londinium, Admiral", Walter Hunter said, patting the side of the peregrine that Cain had rescued from the Cylons so long ago. Cain smiled as he saw the flags of the President of the Alliance and his four-star Admiral's flag attached to the peregrine's hull.

Cain turned and faced his friends, and said, "Throughout our odyssey and beyond, we have been true shipmates. I will always have a place in my heart for each and every one of you. After all my years of service with the Colonial Fleet, and with the Alliance Navy, things for me have finally reached the end with my retirement. As I leave, I rest easy knowing that everything is in good hands. With that, my friends, I bid you all an affectionate farewell". He stood to attention and saluted them. They returned his salute and held it, which was the highest mark of respect that they could give to him.

With that, he entered the peregrine with Sophia beside her; her security detail following behind, while the GALACTICA's band played 'Hail to the Chief' and 'Auld Lang Syne'. Walter closed the peregrine's hatch and got into the cockpit. After going through the pre-flight check, and seeing that the hangar bay had been evacuated of all personnel, he keyed his mike.

"GALACTICA Core Command, this is Alliance One. Ready for depressurization and elevation for launch", Walter Hunter said, using the recognized call-sign for any craft carrying the President.

"Understood, Alliance One", Core Command acknowledged, "Have a good flight, and Gods-speed to you all".

From the hangar bay viewports, Tom Sanders watched as the bay depressurized and the floor of the hangar bay elevated Alliance One up to the flight deck. He then turned to Tricia, who was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Your father is a living legend, Tricia", Tom said, "You should be so proud to be his daughter".

"In a sense, Tom", Tricia replied softly, "we who were with him on the PEGASUS are all his children. We should all be proud".

"So say we all", Glen Sanders said.

"So say we all", Geoff Tolen echoed.

"So say we all", Gene Syke affirmed.

"So say we all!" everyone present intoned.

**THE END.**


End file.
